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Proceedings  of  the 

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PROCEEDINGS 


Centennial  AnniveusaPiY 


Presbyterian  Church  at  Sparta,  N.  J., 


November     23,    1886, 


TOGETHER  WITH 


A     HISTORY    OF    THE     VILLAGE 


Rev.  THEODORE  F/ CHAMBERS. 


NEW  YOEK : 

THE  WILLIAMS  PRINTING  COMPANY, 

66  AND  68  DUANE  Strbet. 

1887. 


CONTKNTS. 


PAGE. 

Preface           .             .             .            ,            .             .  .       6 

Order  of  Exercises           .             .             .             .  .7 

Historical  Sermon       .           .             .             .             .  .       8 

Address  of  Kev.  J.  C.  Clyde,  d.d.        >    .              .  .27 

Address  of  Rev.  A.  A.  Haines         .             .             .  .     33 

Appendix:      I.    Revivals  and  Church  Work          .  .     43 

"            II.    Ministers     .             .             .             .  .     49 

"           III.    Elders         .            .             .            .  .58 

"           lY.    Trustees  and  Church  Edifice      .  .     60 

"                  V.      OODENSBURGH              .                   .                 .  .       6Q 

"           YI.    Ogden  Genealogy         .         .         .  .69 

"         YII.    History  of  North  Hardyston  Church  72 

"       YIII.    Other  Religious  Bodies         .         .  .76 

"  IX.    Proprietary   Transfers,   with    Map 

OF  Church  Lands         .             .  ,81 

''  X.    Early  Settlers  and  History  of  the 

Yillage    .             .             .             .  .     85 

"  XI.    List  of   Church  Members   from   the 

Beginning       ....     101 


PRKKACK. 


The  main  end  in  view  in  writing  this  vohime  was  to  awaken 
greater  attacliment  to  the  old  church  whose  history  it  records. 
The  unusual  number  of  ministers  that  have  served  it  has 
rendered  it  more  difficult  to  give  a  complete  record  of  each ; 
and  yet  this  has  been  done  with  but  two  exceptions,  the 
licentiate  Oliver  Green  not  being  counted.  As  it  is  local  his- 
tory, no  explanation  will  be  needed  of  the  prominence  given  to 
those  whose  lives  were  confined  within  narrow  limits.  To  a 
pastor,  nothing  is  trivial,  and  no  life  unimportant  that  his 
services  can  reach  or  his  sympathies  recognize.  In  regard  to 
another  part  it  may  be  remarked  that  even  an  erroneous 
belief  may  be  sincere,  and  an  opposing  worship  one  that  needs 
to  be  known  and  taken  account  of.  Nothing;  has  been  dis- 
covered  to  take  aught  from  the  repute  of  the  great  and  good 
man,  who,  coming  from  a  populous  town  and  surroundings  of 
comparative  comfort,  could  yet  find  time  to  establish  the 
worship  of  God  on  this  sparsely  settled  frontier.  May  his 
memory  ever  be  kept  green,  that  his  example  may  provoke 
more  and  more  unto  similar  faithfulness  and  devotion. 

Warm  recognition  is  due  to  Mr.  A.  C.  Tully  for  the  loan  of 
valuable  books  and  of  almost  indispensable  assistance,  and  the 
Hon.  Edmund  Halsey,  of  Rockaway,  Dr.  Tuttle,  of  Wabash 
College,  whose  annals  of  Morris  County  are  unapproached  in 
their  line  ;  Dr.  S.  D.  Alexander,  of  New  Tork  City,  and  Hol- 
loway  W.  Hunt,  Esq.,  of  Schooley's  Mountain  ;  and  numerous 
other  correspondents,  most  of  them  perfect  strangers,  have 
shown  unstinted  courtesy  and  kindness.  Without  their  help, 
so  freely  rendered,  this  history  could  not  have  been  at  all  com- 
plete  or   satisfactory.     Rev.    Amzi    L.  Armstrong,  of   Dutch 


6  PREFACE. 

Neck,  and  the  Stated  Clerks  of  the  Montrose  and  the  Tombeck- 
bee  jDresbyteries,  as  well  as  the  ever-obliging  pastor  at  Oxford 
Furnace,  have  patiently  explored  old  records  and  cheerfully 
added  their  assistance. 

The  share  which  the  Rev.  A.  A.  Haines,  of  Hamburg,  has 
had  in  this  work  is  too  large  to  be  estimated  or  particularized. 
Free  use  has  been  made  throughout  of  the  History  of  Sussex 
and  Warren,  and  of  every  other  available  work  on  the  history 
of  the  county  or  the  State.  Names  have  been  spelled  in  each 
case  as  they  were  in  the  records.  The  errors  and  omissions 
that  may  be  discovered  will  not  be  due  to  any  conscious  lack  of 
care  or  labor. 

May  this  effort,  closing  a  short  pastorate,  be  blessed  by  the 
Great  Head  of  the  Church  to  a  kind  and  beloved  people. 

Sjparta,  N.  J.,  January  Zlst,  188Y. 


ORDKR      OK      EXKRCISKS. 


TUESDAY,     NOVEMBER     23,     1886. 


AFTERNOON. 

REV.      THOMAS      TYACK,      PRESIDING. 

DoxoiiOGY. — "  Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow." 

Invocation^ — By  Rev.  Thomas  Tyack. 

Hymn  766. — "  Pour  out  thy  Spirit  from  on  high." 

Scripture  Rea.ding,  84th  Psalm. — By  Rev.  J.  C.  Clyde,  D.  D. 

Prayer — By  Rev.  Baker  Smith. 

Hymn  566. — "Love  divine,  all  love  excelling." 

Historical,  Sermon — By  the  Pastor,  Rev.  T.  F.  Chambers. 

Anthem. — "  Blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord." 

Address. — Rev.  Thomas  Tyack. 

Prayer. — Rev,  Dr.  Clyde.     Thank-offerings. 

Hymn  368. — '*  Come,  Holy  Ghost !  in  love." 

Benediction. 

EVENING. 

REV.    T.    F.    CHAMBERS,    PRESIDING. 

Anthem. — Is.  2:2.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days,  that  the 
mountain  of  the  Lord's  house  shall  be  established  in  the  top  of  the  mount- 
ains, and  shall  be  exalted  above  the  hills  ;  and  all  nations  shall  flow  unto  it. 

Prayer — Rev.  Thomas  Tyack. 

Hymn  191. — "Lord  of  all  being  !  throned  afar." 

Historical  Address. — Rev.  Dr.  Clyde.  Our  Surroundings  in  Colonial 
Days. 

Anthem. — "Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  Soul." 

Address. — Local  History.     Rev.  Alanson  A.  Haines. 

Hymn  563. — "  How  firm  a  foundation,  ye  Saints  of  the  Lord." 

Prayer— By  Rev.  T.  F.  Chambers. 

Hymn  753. — "Glorious  things  of  thee  are  spoken." 

Bbnbdiction. 


HISTORICAL    SEEMON. 


BY    THE    PASTOR. 


I  Cor.  i6  :  19.  "  Aquila  and  Priscilla  salute  you  much  in  the  Lord,  with 
the  church  that  is  in  their  house." 

The  founders  of  the  Christian  Church  were  simply  men.  Of 
the  truth,  Christ  is  the  chief  corner-stone,  but  the  foundation 
is  that  of  the  apostles  and  prophets.  Therefore  the  characters 
and  careers  of  those  wlio  had  to  do  with  the  first  things  of  the 
Christian  Church  are  not  suffered  to  sink  out  of  sight.  The 
biographies  of  Old  Testament  writ,  the  roll  of  honor  in  the 
eleventh  of  Hebrews,  the  instinctive  assent  to  memorials  of 
departed  saints  on  the  part  of  Christian  people  of  all  ages,  prove 
this.  We  have  no  saints'  days  and  do  not  propose  to  have  any. 
But  we  stop  far  short  of  this,  and  only  follow  Scripture  when 
we  cherish  the  memory  and  exalt  the  fame  of  the  sainted  dead. 
Indeed,  the  Epistles  would  not  be  complete  without  introducing 
us  as  they  do  to  that  circle  of  loving  companions  who  were  the 
body-guard  of  the  great  apostle,  and  at  one  time  the  forlorn 
hope  of  the  cause. 

The  two  friends  of  Paul  whom  he  mentions  in  the  text  were 
deserving  of  remembrance  both  for  their  character  and  their 
work ;  for  they  each  exemplified  most  clearly  a  rare  combina- 
tion of  intelligence  and  zeal.  That  they  were  carefully  in- 
structed w^e  know,  because  it  was  they  who  taught  Apollos,  an 
eloquent  man  himself,  the  better  way,  or  fuller  teaching,  he 
having  received  only  the  baptism  of  John.  And  of  their  zeal 
we  need  no  further  testimony  than  Paul's  own,  when  he  sends 
greeting  to  them  at  Rome  in  the  words  (Rom.  16  :  3,  4)  '•  Greet 
Priscilla  and  Aquila,  my  helpers  in  Christ  Jesus :  who  have 
for  my  life  laid  down  their  own  necks  :  unto  whom  not  only  I 
give  thanks,  but  also  all  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles."     And 


HISTOKICAL    SERMON.  \f 

that  is  not  all,  for  their  dev'Otion  and  zeal  were  such  that  they 
had  a  church  in  their  own  house.  In  order  to  be  sure  of  the 
promise  of  the  Psalmist,  "  Blessed  are  all  they  that  dwell  in 
thy  house,"  they  brought  the  house  of  God  to  their  own  home, 
or,  more  properly,  consecrated  their  own  place  of  abode  to  the 
public  as  well  as  private  sacrifices  of  praise.  Consecration  and 
zeal  of  this  unmingled  kind  is  what  every  church  needs,  and 
especially  in  its  weak  and  uncertain  beginning.  For  the  home 
is  as  truly  necessary  to  the  church  as  the  church  is  to  the 
home.  Indeed  to  give  an  infant  church  the  benefit  of  the 
fervor,  sincerity  and  simplicity  so  natural  to  the  home,  is  per- 
haps to  rescue  it  from  speed}^  deatli,  and  to  insure  to  it  most 
certain  life  and  vigor.  This  high  service  was  what  Aquila  and 
Priscilla  so  naturally  rendered  to  the  church  that  was  in  their 
house.  Ko  less  helpful  to  the  great  apostle  was  their  cheerful 
hospitality.  For  what  encouragement  and  refreshment  must 
have  aM^aited  Paul  at  Corinth  in  the  home  where  Aquila  and 
Priscilla  carried  on  their  humble  trade  of  tent-making,  and  at 
the  same  time  acted  as  guardians  of  the  lamp  of  life,  lighted  in 
their  own  family  circle  and  made  to  spread  far  and  near  among 
the  dying  souls  "around  about  them  ! 

But  we  need  not  draw  upon  imagination  for  descriptions  of 
loving  service  rendered  in  the  home  l)y  those  who  consecrated 
their  hearths  as  well  as  their  hearts  to  the  worship  of  God. 
We  have  a  Priscilla  and  Aquila  of  later  date,  and  so  near  to  us, 
yes,  and  so  dear  to  us,  that  we  can  almost  see  for  ourselves  the 
beauty  and  blessedness  of  their  godly  example.  The  home 
where  young  Barnabas  King  received  his  Urst  welcome  into 
these  then  desert  places ;  the  loving  hands  that  nursed  another 
youthful  preacher,  a  stranger  from  the  east,  Oliver  Green  by 
name,  and  laid  his  lifeless  body  away  to  rest  behind  this  church, 
where  he  had  only  Ijegun  to  proelaim  the  gospel  of  peace,  was 
a  home  where  hearts  were  large  enough  and  sympathies  broad 
enough  to  minister  to  all  who  loved  Christ  and  had  entered 
into  His  fellowship. 


10  HISTORICAL    SERMON. 

It  is  comparatively  easy,  though  after  all  not  so  common,  to 
help  on  a  good  cause  after  it  has  received  a  fair  start ;  but  to 
take  all  the  responsibility,  to  assume  all  the  risk  of  inaugurat- 
ing a  new  and  difficult  work,  with  dependence  only,  under 
God,  upon  one's  self — this  is  to  be  a  hero,  a  man  for  emergen- 
cies, a  b^rn  leader  of  men,  and  one  who  can  never  be  found 
wanting.  Such  was  Robert  Ogden,  with  his  no  less  worthy 
helpmate,  Phebe  Hatfield. 

In  the  record  of  the  first  meeting  field  to  organize  the  church 
of  Ilardyston,  which  was  the  name  by  which  this  church  was 
then  called,  the  residence  of  Robert  Ogden,  Esq.,  is  spoken  of  as 
"  the  present  and  most  usual  place  of  meeting  of  said  con- 
gregation "  This  was  on  November  23,  1786.  And  it  is  said 
by  good  authority  that  meetings  were  held  and  preaching 
services  conducted  from  the  year  1780.  And  the  regular  or- 
ganization was  undoubtedly  an  outgrowth  of  the  godly  zeal  of 
the  above  Robert  Ogden  and  his  wife.  It  was  he  who  offered 
prayer,  kneeling  down  in  the  sleigh,  before  Noah  Talmage 
made  the  first  stroke  in  felling  the  timber  of  the  first  church 
building  for  Presbyterian  service  in  this  country.  Yellow 
Frame  excepted.  Robert  Ogden,  Sr.,  died  in  1787,  and  lies 
buried  beside  his  wife  in  the  rear  of  the  church  of  which  he 
was  the  true  father.  But  his  son,  Robert  Ogden,  called  in  his 
time  "  the  honest  lawyer,"  carried  on  his  father's  work.  And 
he  was  not  less  sparing  of  personal  service  than  of  his  private 
means ;  and,  but  for  his  help,  it  is  questionable  whether  the 
enterprise  could  have  overcome  the  i)ecuniary  and  other  ob- 
stacles which  confronted  it  at  the  time  of  its  inception  ;  for 
this  was  only  three  years  after  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary 
war.  The  whole  country,  and  especially  the  State  of  New 
Jersey,  was  greatly  impoverished.  When  all  that  could  be,  had 
been  bought  for  the  army,  then  teams  and  grain,  fuel  and  food, 
were  impressed  into  the  service  under  circumstances  that  justi- 
fied such  extreme  measures,  though  they  did  not  render  the 
exactions  more  easy  to  be  borne.     An  inflated  currency,  which 


HISTOKICAL    SERMON.  11 

made  a  pair  of  boots  worth,  in  178 1,  $600  ;  and  6f  yards  of 
calico,  $752,  of  Continental  money ;  and  four  handkerchiefs, 
$400  ;  added  to  the  difficulty  of  doing  business,  or  even  gain- 
ino-  a  livelihood.  And  the  moral  difficulties  were  even  greater. 
For  seven  years  the  whole  country  had  been  continually  m  an 
unsettled  condition.  A  large  proportion  of  the  more  active, 
enterprising  and  patriotic  had  been  subjected  to  the  inevitable 
demoralization  of  camp  life.  Disease  and  immorality  were 
thus  afforded  a  rare  opportunity  to  develop  and  spread.  More- 
over, inhdelity  had  received  from  the  French  officers  an  im- 
petus among  us  which  it  could  not  otherwise  have  had. 

The  early  settlers  in  this  region  are  said  to  have  been  pre-emi- 
nently free  from  intemperance.  But  even  before  the  Kevolution 
this  fatal  appetite  had  spread  to  an  alarming  extent,  and,  as  usual, 
carried  with  it  a  host  of  evils.  It  was  because  of  such  hin- 
drances, perhaps,  that  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Newton,  in 
keeping  with  the  lax  opinion  of  gambling  in  that  day,  had  to 
seek  pecuniary  relief,  in  1787,  by  means  of  a  public  lottery, 
the  proceeds  of  which  were  to  be  divided  between  themselves 
and  Princeton  College  ;  for  that  church  was  at  first  in  great 
financial  straits  and  harassed  for  years  by  suits  for  arrears  of 
salary.  Judging  by  the  few  records  in  our  old  trustee  book, 
going  back  to  1790,  the  first  church  of  Hardyston  succeeded  in 
paying  its  way,  though  not  with  the  same  promptness  that  it 
has  attempted  to  reach  since.  But  we  must  not  forget  that  one 
explanation  of  this  fortunate  state  of  affairs  was  that  the  presi- 
dent of  our  board  of  trustees  at  that  time  was  also  treasurer, 
and  by  an  unexampled  liberality  induced  the  Kev.  Holloway 
W.  Hunt  to  remain  m  this  section,  for  at  least  seven  years,  by 
the  gift,  in  payment  for  his  services,  of  a  portion  of  the  farm 
now  occupied  by  Elder  Job  Cory. 

This  Robert  Ogden,  Jr.,  also  acted  as  elder  of  the  church 
■until  his  death  in  1826.  His  nephew,  Matthias  H.  Ogden, 
occupied  the  same  useful  position.  The  father  of  our  church, 
Robert,  Sr.,  was  the  son  of  Robert  and  the  grandson  of  Jon 


12  HISTORICAL    SERMON. 

athan,  who  was  son  of  John,  one  of  the  original  settlers  of 
Elizahethtown.  Each  generation  of  the  first  four  was  repre- 
sented in  some  of  the  most  important  positions  in  puhlic  life. 
The  subject  of  our  present  reference  had  two  sons  of  consid- 
erable eminence — viz  ,  Gen.  Matthias  Ogden,  very  active  and 
efficient  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  and  Col.  Aaron  Ogden. 
The  latter,  who  enlisted  very  early  and  became  quite  prominent 
in  the  war,  served  in  the  Senate  of  the  United  States  1801- 
1803,  and  was  elected  Governor  of  New  Jersey  in  1812.  His 
father  had  been  member  of  the  Council  and  Speaker  of  the 
Assembly.  The  whole  family  seem  to  have  been  men  of  ca- 
pacity, public  spirit  and  unquestioned  integrity. 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  minutes  of  the 
meeting  at  which  the  church  was  organized.  They  ai-e  found 
on  record  at  the  Clerk's  office,  and  read  as  follows : 

"  At  a  meeting  of  the  Presbyterian  congregation  in  Hardis- 
ton,  in  the  county  of  Sussex,  holden  at  the  dwelling  house  of 
Rob.  Ogden,  Esq.,  the  present  and  most  usual  place  of  meeting 
of  said  congregation,  on  Thursday,  the  twenty-third  day  of 
November,  A.  D.  1786,  in  order  to  form  a  body  corporate  and 
choose  trustees,  agreeably  to  the  act  of  the  Legislature  of  this 
State,  j)assed  the  tenth  day  of  March,  1786,  due  notice  having 
been  given  by  advertisements  agreeable  to  the  directions  of  said 
act.  A  sermon  was  preached  by  the  Rev.  Jas.  Wilson  previous 
to  the  election. 

"  The  meeting  then  proceeded  to  business  and  chose  Rob. 
Ogden,  Esq.,  moderator ;  Rob.  Ogden,  Jr.,  clerk.  The  mod- 
erator and  clerk  being  chosen,  the  meeting  proceeded  to  the 
choice  of  trustees,  when  the  following  gentlemen  were  elected  : 
Rob.  Ogden,  Esq.,  Christopher  Hoagland,  Esq.,  Charles  Beards- 
lee,  Esq.,  Christopher  Longstreet,  Japhet  Byram,  Rob.  Ogden, 
Jr.,  Esq.,  Thomas  Van  Kirk,  Esq. 

"  I  certify  the  above  proceedings  to  be  regular  and  true. 

"  Rob.  Ogden,  Moderator. 

"  At  a  meeting  of  the  trustees  of  the  First  Presbyterian 


HISTOKICAL    SERMON.  13 

Church,  in  Hardiston,  in  tlie  county  of  Sussex,  at  the  liouse  of 
Rob.  Ogden,  Esq.,  on  Thursday,  the  twenty-third  of  November, 
A.  D.  1786,  present  Rob.  Ogden,  Japhet  Byrani,  Thomas  Van 
Kirk,  Esq.,  Christopher  Hoagland,  Esq.,  Rob.  Ogden,  Jr.,  the 
said  trustees  having  taken  their  oaths  of  allegiance  and  abjura- 
tion, and  also  an  oath  for  the  faithful  performance  of  their 
duty  agreeable  to  the  directions  of  the  act  of  the  Legislature  of 
this  State,  passed  the  tenth  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1786,  took  and 
assumed  upon  themselves  the  name  and  title  of  the  First  Pres- 
byterian Church  in  Hardiston,  and  unanimously  chose  Rob. 
Ogden,  Jr.,  Esq.,  president  of  the  board  of  trustees. 

"Rob.  Ogden,  Jr.,  President,  [ss. ]  Japhet  Byram,  Thomas 
Van  Kirk,  Christopher  Hoagland,  Robert  Ogden. 

"  Recorded  27th  November,  1786.  Rhodes,  Clerk." 

We  have  in  this  a  certain  and  reliable  date  for  the  origin  of 
our  church,  but  it  would  not  be  altogether  amiss  to  date  it  back 
to  the  time  when  it  was  in  the  house  of  Robert  Ogden.  This 
was  perhaps  as  early  as  1780.  Robert  Ogden,  Sr.,  did  not 
come  to  Sussex  County  earlier  than  October  6th,  1776,  and 
not  later  than  1777.  He  was  kept  away  by  the  near  approach 
of  the  British  troops,  and  by  a  just  fear  of  irresponsible  maraud- 
ing parties  who  carried  havoc  and  slaughter  among  both  friends 
and  foes. 

The  first  church  of  Hardyston  was  built  on  land  (to  the  ex- 
tent of  5-4  acres)  given  for  that  purpose  by  the  proprietaries  of 
New  Jersey.  For  some  years  it  was  a  mere  shell  of  frame,  roofed 
and  weather-boarded,  with  roughly  hewn  seats  for  the  wor- 
shippers. The  galleries  and  steeple  were  added  about  1804. 
The  original  frame  remains  to-day,  apparently  as  strong  as 
when  first  put  together.  The  church  has  been  twice  repaired, 
once  in  1837,  at  a  cost  of  $1500  ;  and  a  second  time,  in  1869,  at 
a  cost  of  $-4000.  The  original  members  of  the  church  are  sup- 
posed to  have  numbered  ten,  and  to  have  been  named  as  follows : 
Christian  Clay,  Mary  Clay,  his  wife ;  Jonathan  Sutton,  Robert 
Ogden,  Jonathan   Sharp,  Jane  Mills,  wife  of  Robert   Mills ; 


14  HISTORICAL    SERMON. 

Mary  Johnson,  wife  of  Andrew  Johnson  ;  Gabriel  Paine,  John 
Linn,  and  Martha,  his  wife.  April  8,  1810,  there  were  40  on 
the  roll.  May  14,  1819,  there  were  99  active  members  of  the 
church,  and  49  of  them  were  dismissed  to  form  the  church  of 
North  Hardiston,  and  13  to  form  that  of  Hamburg ;  leaving  37 
to  continue  the  First  Church  of  Hardiston.  In  1828,  there 
were  64,  and  on  January  1,  1839,  134. 

Let  us  try  for  a  moment  to  realize  how  long  ago  it  was  when 
this  church  was  organized  ;  not  merely  in  time,  but  in  moral  dis- 
tance, as  shown  by  difference  of  manners  and  customs.  The  Pres- 
byterian denomination,  as  then  organized,  was  represented  by 
the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  It  was  soon  found 
necessary  to  have  a  Jiigher  representative  body,  or  General 
Assembly,  as  in  the  Church  of  Scotland.  Accordingly,  in  May, 
1789,  the  first  General  Assembly  met,  at  the  same  time  as  the 
first  Congress  of  the  United  States  under  the  Constitution. 
Another  note  of  time,  of  a  different  character,  is  found  in  the 
fact,  as  declared,  that  there  were  not  five  acres  plaated  in 
Indian  corn  in  the  whole  county,  and  that  timothy  and  clover 
were  not  introduced  until  later.  In  1791  there  were  only  six 
post-offices  in  New  Jersey —  viz.,  Newark,  Elizabethtown,  Bridge- 
ton  (now  Railway),  Brunswick,  Princeton,  Trenton ;  and  $530 
included  their  whole  receipts.  In  1780  land  is  said  to  have 
been  sold  in  different  parts  of  Wantage  for  from  $1  to  $5  an 
acre,  and  one  farm  sold  for  one  pound  of  tea  for  each  apple  tree 
upon  it.  In  1801,  March  9,  the  first  turnpike  in  New  Jersey 
was  authorized  by  the  Legislature,  from  Elizabethtown  through 
Morristown  to  Milford,  by  way  of  Newton  and  Culv^er's  Gap;, 
in  1804,  another  from  Morristown  to  Sparta,  and  a  third  in 
1806,  from  Sparta  through  Culver's  Gap  to  the  Delaware. 
About  the  time  of  the  Revolution  there  were  yery  few,  if  any, 
wagon  roads.  Everything  was  carried  on  the  backs  of  beasts 
of  burden.  Farming  was  of  the  most  primitive  character,  and 
everything  else  was  in  keeping  with  it.  Ministers'  salaries  were 
paid  largely  in  produce,  and  church  services,  under  the  best  cir- 


HISTORICAL    SERMON.  15 

cumstances,  were  very  few  and  far  between.  One  preacher  had 
to  suffice  for  three  or  four  congregations,  ten,  twenty  or  even 
more  miles  apart.  It  may  not  be  out  of  place  here  to  quote  a 
letter  written  in  1771,  from  Newton,  by  the  Rev.  Uzal  Ogden, 
the  first  Episcopal  minister  of  this  county.  He  began  his 
labors  there  probably  about  1769.  In  1773  he  had  to  go  to 
England  to  be  ordained,  and  in  1779  was  called  to  the  Trinity 
Church,  of  Newark.  In  1799  he  was  elected  a  bishop  in  the 
Episcopal  church,  but  through  some  irregularity  in  the  election 
he  was  not  consecrated  to  that  office.  Owing  to  some  misun- 
derstanding he  lost  favor  with  his  denomination,  and  in  1805  be- 
came a  very  zealous  Presbyterian  minister.  {Spragae's  Annals.) 
He  was  a  man  of  irreproachable  character,  and,  July  8,  1771, 
writes  to  the  missionary  society  to  whom  he  owed  his  support 
as  follows.  After  speaking  of  the  difEerences  of  religious 
opinion  among  the  people,  he  continues  :  "  The  people  being 
thus  remarkably  divided,  disables  almost  every  sect  from  sup- 
porting the  Gospel ;  so  that  in  a  country  where  there  are  in- 
habitants sufficient  to  support  several  clergymen,  there  is  but  a 
single  illiterate  separate  [i.  6.,  dissenting]  preacher  residing  in 
it."  He  then  goes  on  to  give  an  account  of  his  preaching- 
services,  and  says  that  he  preaches  in  New  Town,  in  the  Court 
House ;  at  Knowl  Town,  in  a  convenient  building  in  cold 
weather,  but  in  the  open  air  in  summer;  at  Roxbury,  Moi-ris 
County,  in  a  barn  ;  and  at  Hackettstown,  in  the  Presbyterian 
meeting-house.  He  thea  concludes  as  follows:  'Besides 
officiating  at  the  several  places  above  mentioned,  I  have  had, 
and  complied  with,  divers  invitations  to  read  prayers  and  a 
sermon  on  week  days,  in  some  of  the  meeting-houses'  and 
dwellings  of  dissenters,  who,  of  every  denomination,  attend 
church  in  great  numbers  on  Sunday,  and  behave  very  decently." 
{Proc.  His.  /Soc,  1845  cmd  1850,^^.  152.) 

Of  course  people  of  that  early  day  and  long  after  went  to 
church  on  horseback,  took  their  dinner  along  and  stayed  to  a 
second  service.  This  was  long  before  Fulton's  steamljoat  (1807), 


16  HISTORICAL    SERMON. 

and  the  first  telegrapli  (18i4),  the  first  raih'oad  for  passengers 
(1829),  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio.  Tlie  number  of  inhabitants 
to  the  square  mile  in  New  Jersey  in  1790  was  24.7  ;  now  it 
is  151.7.  That  is  to  say,  there  was  only  one-sixth  the  density 
of  population  there  is  now.  About  the  time  our  church  was 
organized,  thQ  only  vehicles  used  for  agricultural  purposes 
were  sleds  in  winter,  and,  in  summer,  "  ox-carts  of  rude  con- 
struction, with  wheels  sawed  from  large  butts,  having  holes 
made  in  their  centers  to  receive  the  axle.  About  1813,  the 
chair  and  gig  were  introduced  and  used  until  the  light  four- 
wheeled  carriage  appeared  and  superseded  them."     [Edsall, 

Although  the  population  of  the  county  rapidly  increased,  and 
more  rapidly  than  in  the  neighboring  counties,  yet  in  1761, 
when  the  Court  House  was  ordered  to  be  erected  in  Newton, 
Henry  Harelocker,  a  German,  was  the  only  resident  within  the 
present  limits  of  Newton.  At  first  this  part  of  the  State  M'as 
included  in  Morris  County ;  then  what  was  called  Sussex 
County  was  formed  in  1753,  including  what  was  set  off,  in 
1824,  and  made  Warren  County. 

It  was  during  the  Revolutionary  war  that  Robert  Ogden, 
Sr ,  was  robbed  by  '•  Moody's  gang."  This  person,  Bonnell 
Moody  by  name,  had  been  a  peaceable  farmer  (according  to 
his  biography,  published  after  the  war  in  London),  until  he 
enlisted  in  the  English  army.  He  then  became  a  spy,  and  with 
a  party  of  not  more  than  six  or  seven,  undertook  marauding 
operations  independently  of  the  regular  forces.  He  several 
times  succeeded  in  robbing  messengers  of  important  dispatches, 
and  even  undertook  at  (me  time,  with  the  aid  of  a  man  who 
had  been  emj:)]oyed  at  the  State  House,  to  steal  the  archives  of 
Congress.  The  above-mentioned  incident  in  his  career,  very 
interesting  to  us,  though  not  quite  so  much  so  to  tlie  parties  in- 
volved in  it,  connects  this  notorious  man  with  our  own  neigh- 
borliood.  "  One  cold  night  in  winter  he  suddenly  entered  the 
house  of  Mr.  Ogden,"  who  lived  on  the  road  to  Ogdensburg, 


HISTORICAL    SERMON.  17 

not  far  from  the  present  Fowler  property.  "  He  robbed  the 
house  of  considerable  valuable  plate,  and  searched  the  house  for 
money ;  but  was  disappointed  in  not  obtaining  the  amount  he 
thought  to  be  in  the  old  gentleman's  possession.  He  then 
took  him  out  back  of  the  house,  and  forced  him  to  take  an  oath 
not  to  make  known  his  visit  until  sufficient  time  had  elapsed 
for  himself  and  a  few  followers  to  escape  pursuit." — Collections^ 
p.  476.  [But  see  a  more  correct  version  in  Mr  Haines's  ad- 
dress.] The  alarm  was  sounded,  however,  by  one  or  two  hired 
men  who  had  been  concealed  in  the  upper  part  of  the  log 
house.  A  small  party  of  neighbors  gave  chase,  and  some  of  the 
booty  was  recovered  near  Goshen.  The  log  house  referred  to 
in  this  narrative  was  built  in  1777,  according  to  a  date  which 
one  of  our  elders,  Mr.  J.  B.  Hopj^augh,  remembers  seeing  on 
it.  It  stood  across  the  road,  on  the  hill,  a  little  to  the  south  of 
a  spot  exactly  opposite  to  the  present  Hoppaugh  residence. 
Although  built  of  heavy  logs,  fitted  and  framed  together,  it 
was  clapboarded  on  the  outside,  and  lathed  and  plastered  with- 
in. After  the  robbery,  Mr.  Ogden  made  doors  and  shutters  of 
two-inch  planks,  and  fastened  them  with  strong  iron  bars. 

This  house  burned  down  in  1S45.  The  frame  of  another 
house,  built  either  afterward  or  at  the  same  time,  still  remains 
on  the  Fowler  place  in  the  house  there  used  as  a  residence.  A 
third  house  was  erected  just  under  the  hill  below  the  Hoppaugh 
house. 

Robert  Ogden,  Sr.,  left  two  sons  residing  here,  Elias  and 
Robert.  The  latter  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Sussex  in 
1778,  and  died  1826.  Major  Elias  dealt  more  in  iron-mining 
and  forging. 

But  we  must  resist  the  temptation  to  recount  the  interesting 
history  of  secular  matters,  and  give  the  rest  of  our  time  to  the 
annals  of  our  church.  As  a  more  detailed  and  precise  history 
will  probably  be  published,  it  will  be  necessary  only  to  give  a 
general  review  of  the  hundred  years  of  our  church's  existence. 
The  sources   of   our  information    are,  first,  an   old   trustee's 

(2) 


18  HISTORICAL    SERMON. 

book,  in  which  the  first  record  is  dated  April  3,  1790.  Accord- 
ing to  that,  Thomas  Van  Kirk  is  treasurer,  and  has  a  balance 
to  his  credit,  after  a  settlement  with  the  trustees,  of  £11.  9s.  Td. 
Our  first  treasurer  evidently  started  right.  We  commend  his 
example  to  those  who  follow  him.  We  have  also  in  our  pos- 
session the  first  session  book,  beginning  May  16,  1805,  no 
record  having  been  kept  previous  to  that  date.  There  is  no 
record  of  regular  preaching  in  our  church  until  1795,  when  the 
Rev.  HoLLOWAY  Whitfield  Hunt  served  the  churches  of 
Newton  and  Hardiston  seven  years,  until  1802.  Pie  also 
preached  at  ISorth  Hardiston.  He  received  from  Robert 
Ogden  the  use  of  a  farm,  and  finally  the  possession  of  it,  as  we 
have  already  stated.  Rev.  Mr.  Hunt  is  described  by  Dr.  David 
X.  Junkin,  in  his  history  of  Newton  Presbytery  (p.  41),  "  as 
tall,  portly,  of  a  very  fair  and  healthy  complexion.  He  was  a 
man  of  no  mean  ability,  and  was,  in  early  life  and  in  his  prime, 
a  very  popular  preacher.  His  manners  were  very  bland  and 
attractive,  and  he  had  the  faculty  of  attaching  the  people  of 
his  charge  very  strongly  to  him."  He  was  of  English  extrac- 
tion, and  his  ancestry  in  England  were  eminent  for  piety,  as 
well  as  prominent  in  civil  and  military  life.  The  family  first 
came  to  this  country  in  1652.  Augustine  Hunt,  the  father  of 
Holloway,  married  Lydia  Holloway,  from  whom  came  the 
•Christian  name  of  so  many  in  the  family.  From  this  couple 
have  descended  thus  far  six  ministers  in  the  direct  line,  three 
•of  them  with  the  same  name  as  your  first  minister.  "  August- 
ine removed  from  New  York  State  to  Wyoming,  Pa.,  where 
!he  bought  a  tract  of  '  election  land,'  but  after  his  losses  there 
at  the  time  of  the  massacre  moved  back  to  Orange  County, 
N.  Y.  He  wrote  a  pamphlet  called  '  Hunt's  Mite,'  in  which  he 
discussed  political  and  religious  doctrines.  He  was  a  '  proficient 
in  the  arts  and  sciences,  conversant  in  medicine  and  theology, 
and  also  often  an  adviser  in  legal  affairs.'  His  wife  was  a  de- 
voted Baptist,  and  her  eminent  piety  left  a  deep  impression 
on  her  children.     When  Augustine  Hunt  lost  all  his  earthly 


HISTORICAL    S^KMON.  19 

goods  at  the  time  of  the  Wyoming  massacre  (1778),  he  advised 
his  son  Holloway  to  seek  some  life-work  for  himself,  sayino-  to 
him,  '  all  I  have  to  give  you  is  a  dollar,  and  to  seek  for  you 
the  blessing  of  God.'  Becoming  a  Christian,  he  began  life  as 
a  Methodist  minister,  but  finding  his  education  inadequate,  so 
soon  as  he  secured  means  ['  by  chopping  wood  and  clearing 
land'],  he  prepared  for  college,  and  graduated  at  Nassau  Hall 
in  1794.  He  then  helped  to  educate  his  brother,  Eev.  Gardiner 
A.  Hunt  (of  Harmony),  who  was  older,  and  was  not  able  to 
attend  a  college  course.  When  he  was  once  preaching  at  Cen- 
treville,  ]S[.  Y.,  his  text  was  '  What  think  ye  of  Christ  ? '  At 
the  close  he  said  :  '  As  you  leave  this  house,  my  friends,  some 
of  you  may  be  asking  one  another.  What  think  you  of  the 
preacher  ?  but  I  beg  you  all  to  ask  one  of  another,  What 
think  you  of  Christ '{ '  " — {Genealogy  of  the  Hunt  Family.) 

In  1806  the  E,ev.  Barnabas  King  began  his  ministry  here, 
and  remained  until  1808  or  1809.  We  have  a  very  full  and  in- 
teresting account  of  Dr.  Barnabas  King  in  the  "  Annals  of  Mor- 
ris County,"  by  Dr.  J.  F.  Tuttle,  president  of  Wabash  Colleo-e. 
We  quote  from  it  the  following  :  "  Barnabas  King  was  the 
son  of  Amos  King  and  Lucy  Perkins,  of  Marlborough,  Mass. 
He  received  a  careful  elementary  education  in  the  public  school 
and  there  arrested  the  notice  of  his  minister.  Dr.  Jacob  Cat- 
lin,  by  his  proficiency  as  a  scholar  and  his  admirable  manners. 
Dr.  Catlin  offered  to  take  him  into  his  family,  and  for  his  serv- 
ices on  the  farm  prepare  him  for  Williams  College.  This  was 
done.  After  his  graduation  in  1804  he  spent  the  year  followino- 
in  teaching  and  in  the  study  of  theology  with  Dr.  Catlin,  who, 
December  21,  1805,  speaks  of  him  iu  a  letter  of  commendation 
as  '  possessing  an  amiable  and  hopefully  Christian  character, 
&c.  He  has  preached  acceptably  for  a  number  of  months 
past,  and  I  feel  increasing  confidence  to  recommend  him  to  the 
further  service  of  the  churches.'  Having  during  his  college 
course  spent  a  part  of  one  winter  in  teaching  at  Little  Falls, 
N.  Y.,  he  had  packed  his  saddle  bags  in  Decem])er,   1805,  to 


20  HISTORfcAL    SERMON. 

start  for  Central  New  York  in  search  of  a  field  of  labor.  The 
day  before  he  was  to  start  his  classmate  Beach  returned  from 
New  Jersey  with  reports  of  '  an  ojDcn  door'  in  that  region.  Mr. 
King  at  once  set  out  on  horseback,  crossing  the  Hudson  at 
Newburg  and  the  New  Jersey  line  at  Yernon.  He  spent 
Christmas  eve  at  a  country  tavern  at  which  there  was  a  noisy 
balL  The  next  day  he  made  his  way  to  Sparta,  where  Robert 
Oo-den  received  him  into  his  family.  He  soon  began  to  preach 
statedly  at  Sparta  and  Berkshire  Yalley.  *  *  *  On  the 
5th  of  October,  180Y,  the  trustees  of  Eockaway  voted  to  offer 
him  $208  for  preaching  there  one-half  the  time.  Mr.  King 
was  warmly  commended  to  the  Eockaway  peopled  iu  a  letter 
from  Eob.  Ogden.  Mr.  King  accepted,  and  gave  the  other 
half  of  his  time  to  Sparta  and  Berkshire  Yalley.  At  this  time 
he  seemed  a  slender,  beardless  youth  in  feeble  health,  although 
he  had  passed  his  27th  birthday,  Init  he  began  at  once  in  the 
most  systematic  manner  to  minister  to  his  new  charge,  preach- 
ino-  publicly  and  from  house  to  house.  He  not  only  preached 
in  every  neighborhood,  but  he  visited  every  house  for  religious 
instruction  and  praye'r.  His  labor  became  excessive  at  times, 
and  for  weeks  together  amounting  to  ten  public  services  a 
week,  besides  his  regular  visits  in  the  parish  and  visits  to  the 

sick." 

Dr.  Gillett,  in  his  history  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
thus  describes  Mr.  King  :  "  Frail  and  feeble  in  appearance,  and 
supposed  by  all  to  be  consumptive,  he  was  spared  to  the  dis- 
charge of  a  long  and  useful  pastorate.  With  the  best  men  of 
the  Jersey  presbytery  he  bore  his  full  share  in  itinerant  evan- 
gelization, going  from  Paulus  Hook  to  the  Delaware  to  tell  the 
destitute  of  Christ.  One  of  the  most  eminent  of  his  contem- 
poraries, the  Eev.  Albert  Barnes,  remarked  that  "he  knew 
of  no  minister  whose  walk  and  labor  and  success  had  been  so 
admirable  as  those  of  Mr.  King,  of  Eockaway.'  His  great  am- 
bition was  to  win  souls.  His  great  book  was  the  Bible.  As  a 
preacher  he  was  simple  and  scriptural,  and  his  whole  course 


HISTORICAL    SERMON.  21 

was  characterized  by  good  sense,  consummate  judgment,  ear- 
nestness of  purpose  and  devotion  to  his  work.  One  of  his  most 
critical  hearers  remarked  '  that  he  never  said  a  foolish  thing.'  " 

In  1810  Oliver  Green,  a  licentiate,  came  here,  and  after 
preaching  a  short  time,  died  before  he  was  ordained,  and  was 
buried  in  the  rear  of  the  church,  where  his  tombstone  may  be 
found. 

Rev.  Joseph  L,  Shafer,  D.  D.,  was  settled  over  Newton, 
Hardiston  and  Korth  Hardiston,  and,  after  1811,  also  preached 
at  Hamburg.  Of  Dr.  Shafer,  Dr.  Junkin  speaks  thus,  p.  50  : 
"  He  was  excelled  by  none  in  the  most  desirable  elements  of 
a  Christian  pastor.  Indeed,  he  was  one  of  the  loveliest  Chris- 
tian gentlemen  with  whom  it  has  ever  been  your  speaker's  lot  to 
be  associated.  Grave  and  sedate,  yet  cheerful  in  demeanor  ;  al- 
ways dignified,  yet  kind  and  suave  in  manner;  warm  in  his 
affections,  and  tender  in  his  emotional  nature  ;  with  an  intellect 
clear  and  practical,  rather  than  grasping  and  intense  ;  sound  in 
judgment,  calm  in  temperament,  respectable  in  scholarship, 
lucid  and  chaste,  rather  than  vigorous  as  a  writer ;  solemn, 
earnest  and  distinct  as  a  speaker,  his  pulpit  powers  were  of  a 
kind  to  wear,  rather  than  beget  sensation.  He  was  the  man 
for  a  lifelong  pastorate,  devoted  to  the  feeding  of  a  flock, 
rather  than  for  aggressive  action  or  sensational  occasions.  He 
was  often  moved  to  tears  when  preaching  Christ  crucified  and 
pleading  with  sinners  to  seek  salvation ;  and  even  when  not 
speaking  himself,  his  heart  often  gushed  in  sympathy  with 
devotion  conducted  by  others.  I  remember,  and  can  never 
forget,  his  tender,  tearful  expression  after  the  exercises  of 
brother  McWilliams'  ordination  at  Oxford  were  over.  He 
approached  me  in  the  churchyard,  grasped  my  hand,  and  with 
tears  coursing  down  his  cheeks,  he  said,  '  Brother,  I — I  thank 
you  for  that  prayer.'     He  could  say  no  more." 

In  1816  Noah  Crane  began  his  services  here.  He  settled 
in  this  village  and  bought  the  farm  now  occupied  by  William 
Hammell.      He  preached  here  from   1816  to   1830,  with  the 


22  HISTORICAL    8EKMON. 

exception  of  two  or  three  years  after  1825.  A  revival  occurred 
during  his  ministry,  about  the  latter  date.  His  was  the  longebt 
ministry  of  any  that  the  church  has  enjoyed,  and  he  has  left  a 
very  vivid  impression  of  his  person  and  work  upon  our  older 
people,  some  of  whom  speak  of  him  in  terms  of  the  warmest 
affection.  He  was  characterized  by  a  very  deliberate  manner 
of  speaking  in  conversation  and  preaching. 

After  an  interval  of  a  year  or  two,  the  Rev.  Moses  Jewell 
was  engaged  as  a  stated  supply,  at  first  for  eiglit  months,  from 
August,  1830,  at  a  salary  of  $160  ;  and  afterward  for  a  year, 
from  April  1,  1831,  at  a  salary  of  $200,  supplemented  by 
"some  foreign  assistance.''  He  was  a  licentiate  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Tombigbee,  and  a  man  of  ardent  zeal.  He  is  said  to 
have  been  a  great  worker.  In  his  short  ministry  of  a  year  and 
eiglit  months,  68  united  with  the  church,  28  at  one  time  and 
24  at  another. 

The  first  fifty  years  of  our  church's  history  were  almost 
completed  by  the  ministry  of  the  Eev.  James  Wyckoff, 
which  continued  only  for  three  years,  from  September  1,  1832, 
to  the  same  day  in  1835.  His  salary  was  $400.  He  was  re 
ceived  under  the  care  of  the  Presbytery  Cctober  7,  1823; 
licensed  October  5,  1831  ;  and  labored  as  a  missionary  pre- 
viously to  his  coming  here,  in  the  Newton  Presbytery,  in  Tran- 
quillity and  the  Stillwater  churches,  and  Timber  Swamp. 
When  he  left  here  he  went  to  Dover.  During  his  ministry, 
forty-nine  united  with  the  church,  forty  two  at  one  time.  Mr. 
Wyckoff 's  health  soon  failed,  and  he  died  at  Hackettstown  in 
1838.  In  November,  1832,  the  present  parsonage  was  pur- 
chased of  James  S.  Morrow,  for  $600. 

The  second  fifty  years  of  our  church's  life  begins  with  the 
pastorate  of  Rev.  Ezra  F.  Dayton.  Mr.  Dayton  was  licensed 
October  4,  1832,  by  the  Presbytery  of  Newton,  and  came  here 
from  Frankford  (now  Augusta).  The  strong  attachment  to 
him  on  the  part  of  the  peo)  le  was  manifested  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  October  2,  1838,  and  by  which  his  rain- 


HISTORICAL    SERMON.  23 

istry  here  was  cut  short  at  the  end  of  two  and  a  half  years. 
The  congregation,  on  the  occasion  of  liis  decease,  seemed  to  find 
a  mournful  satisfaction  in  doing  all  in  their  power  to  show  their 
sense  of  the  irreparable  loss  they  had  experienced  in  the  taking 
away  of  one  who  had  endeared  himaelf  apparently  to  every  one 
of  his  flock.  Daring  Mr.  Dayton's  ministry,  in  183Y,  the  church 
was  repaired  for  the  first  time. 

Rev.  William  Torrey  was  the  next  minister,  from  April  1, 
1839,  to  April,  184:6.  During  Mr.  Torrey's  time,  the  Eev. 
Thomas  S.  Ward  supplied  the  pulpit  for  about  a  year.  During 
this  interval  Mr.  Torrey  was  passing  through  the  terrible 
ordeal  of  being  on  trial  on  a  most  serious  charge,  both  before 
the  Presbytery  and  the  civil  courts.  Being  fully  acquitted  by 
both,  he  resumed  his  preaching  for  about  six  months,  until 
April  1,  1846,  when  he  left.  I  have  been  so  fortunate  as  to 
obtain  a  printed  copy  of  his  farewell  sermon.  It  is  undoubtedly 
a  most  able  production,  and  the  church  has  been  very  fortunate 
if  succeeding  pastors  have  come  uj)  to  the  level  of  so  high  a 
standard.     It  is  not  at  all  likely  that  they  have  surpassed  it. 

Rev.  Nathaniel  Edwards  Pierson  was  here  for  four  years 
from  1816.  We  have  the  following  tribute  to  his  worth  from 
the  Rev.  Z.  A.  Bradbury :  "  Mr.  Pierson  was  a  man  of  com- 
manding appearance  and  fine  address.  His  style  of  delivery 
Was  highly  declamatory.  The  recollections  of  my  boyhood  fix 
him  as  a  model  in  this  respect.  I  carry  in  my  memory  many 
of  his  earnest  aj^peals  to  the  young  people  of  Sparta.  He  was 
a  father  to  me,  and  I  loved  him  dearly.  He  and  his  good  wife 
were  the  agents  in  leading  me  in  to  the  Gospel  ministry.  His 
labors  in  Unionville,  Westtown  and  Ridgebury  were  greatly 
blessed  of  Grod,  and  hundreds  of  souls  were  brought  into  the 
kingdom  through  his  ministry  in  these  places.  There  were 
powerful  revivals  of  religion  at  the  above-named  places  during 
his  ministry  there.  Many  also  were  added  to  the  church  at 
Horseheads  while  he  w^as  their  pastor.  I  spent  many  of  my 
college  vacations  in  his  family,  and  I  knew  him  most  intimately. 


24  HISTORICAL    SERMON. 

He  was  a  loving  husband  and  most  indulgent  father.  He  was 
a  friend  of  the  fatherless  and  widow,  and  knew  how  to  sympa- 
thize with  them,  for  he  was  himself  a  double  orphan  in  his 
early  childhood.  I  never  shall  forget  his  earnest  efforts  to  lead 
me,  both  head  and  heart,  in  right  channels  ;  and  I  know  that 
he  exerted  himself  in  behalf  of  many  of  the  young  men  and 
women  of  Sparta,  whose  remains  now  lie  in  the  churchyard, 
just  back  of  the  dear  old  pulpit,  where  now  in  imagination  I 
see  him  standing  making  strong  appeals  to  us  young  people, 
boys  and  girls.  There  are  very  few  men  to  whom  my  heart 
is  as  strongly  bound  as  it  was  to  N.  E.  Pierson." 

"William  Megie  was  here  for  one  year,  and  is  remembered 
as  a  man  of  solid  attainments,  and  a  genial  companion  to  those 
with  whom  he  was  intimate. 

The  Rev.  Daniel  Higbie  commenced  his  labors  here  April 
1st,  1852,  as  stated  supply,  and  was  chosen  pastor  the  next 
year,  April  4th,  1853.  He  therefore  had  the  honor  of  being 
the  first  pastor  of  this  church.  He  resigned  on  account  of  ill 
health  at  a  meeting  of  the  Presbytery  of  Rockaway  at  Sparta, 
December  24tli,  1855.  He  is  said  to  have  been  a  man  of  great 
amiability  and  inoffensiveness.  Gentle  and  kindly,  he  illus- 
trated the  apostle's  injunction,  "As  much  as  lieth  in  you,  live 
peaceably  with  all  men." 

While  the  Eev.  Noah  Crane  labored  for  the  longest  period 
— i.  €.,  twelve  to  thirteen  years — tlie  Rev.  Livingston  Willard 
made  the  most  indelible  impression  upon  the  majority  while 
he  was  here.  Manifestly  he  seemed  to  be  the  right  jnan  in  the 
right  jilace.  Bold,  independent,  entirely  extemporaneous  in 
his  preaching,  his  graphic  power  and  vivid  s  yle  carried  away 
his  hearers,  and  those  whom  he  affected  at  all  he  moved  im- 
measurably. The  fruit  of  his  labors  was  found  in  the  conversion 
of  eighty-six  in  all,  sixty-one  of  whom  came  into  full  communion 
at  one  time  upon  a  memorable  occasion  in  April,  1858.  Mr. 
"Willard  was  here  five  years  and  two  months  in  all — first  as 
I'!)«tor  for  four  years,  then  as  stated  supply  for  about  a  year. 


HISTORICAL    SERMON.  25 

William  L.  Moore  was  here  for  one  year. 

The  Rev.  Francis  E.  M.  Bachelor  was  the  sixteenth  minis- 
ter and  the  tliird  pastor  of  this  church.  lie  served  it  from 
1863  to  1870.  During  his  miuictrj  the  church  was  repaired  a 
second  time.  It  was  raised  np  higher  and  a  Sabbath  school 
room  built  underneath.  This  was  in  1869.  Mr.  Bachelor  is 
said  to  liave  been  a  good  preacher  and  faithful  pastor,  and  still 
retains  the  love  and  esteem  of  those  to  whom  he  formerly 
preached  for  a  period  of  six  years  and  a  half. 

Rev.  R.  S.  Feagles  was  also  a  man  who  sustained  the  hisfh 
level  of  pulpit  ability  whicli  it  had  been  the  good  fortune  of 
the  chnrcli  previously  to  enjoy. 

The  Rev.  AVilliam  M.  McKee  was  'the  fourth  pastor,  and 
remained  here  four  years  and  a  half.  Mr.  McKee  is  well  re- 
membered, having  been  here  long  enough  to  leave  such  an  im- 
press as  so  careful  and  studious  a  sennonizer  mi^lit  be  expected 
to  produce. 

The  Rev.  John  S.  Hanna  supplied  this  pulpit  for  one  year. 
He  was  a  man  of  studious  habits  and  fearless  measures.  It  was 
during  his  ministry  and  under  his  influence  that  Elder  Ford  W. 
Rochelle  united  with  the  cliurch  and  decided  to  study  for  the 
Christian  ministry. 

During  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Tyack,  the  fifth 
pastor  and  twentieth  minister,  the  commodious  and  well- 
appointed  church  at  Ogdensburg  was  built,  at  a  cost  of  more 
than  $2100.  This  hasting  and  useful  result  of  a  most  efficient 
ministry  will  serve  as  a  memorial  for  years  to  come  of  one  who 
was  as  much  appreciated  for  many  attractive  personal  qualities 
as  he  will  be  remembered  for  his  earnest  work  in  the  salvation 
of  precious  souls  in  the  community. 

The  present  pastor  began  his  labors  January  1st,  1884,  and 
takes  this  occasion  to  express  his  appreciation  of  the  marked 
kindness  and  respect  with  which  he  has  been  uniformly 
treated. 

Full  reference  cannot  be  made  at  this  time  to  the  succession  of 


26  HISTORICAL    SEKMO^. 

godly  men  who,  in  the  imporant  office  of  the  eldership,  held  up 
the  hands  of^the  ministrj  and  co-operated  heartily  in  the  work  of 
saving  souls  and  preserving  the  purity  of  doctrine  and  life. 
An  account  will  have  to  be  given  elsewhere,  also,  of  the  long 
roll  of  faithful  trustees  who,  under  trying  circumstances,  have 
often  exemplilied  both  the  patience  and  the  perseverance  of 
the  saints. 

How  pleasant  it  is  now  to  be  able  to  thank  God  for  His 
providential  care  extended  over  this  church  for  so  long  a  period, 
enabling  us  to  meet  together  to-day  with  every  pecuniary  obli- 
gation fully  discharged,  and  with  an  open  door  before  us  through 
whicJi  we  can  enter  upon  the  promised  land  of  spiritual  and 
lasting  success.  We  could  not  do  justice  in  the  short  time  left 
us  to  the  various  other  departments  of  church  work  in  the 
Sabbath  school  and  women's  sphere.  All  this  must  be  left  for 
you  to  read  at  your  leisure. 

It  would  be  instructive  and  entertaining  to  consider  the 
great  changes  that  have  taken  place  during  the  last  century,  not 
only  in  the  great  Presbyterian  body  to  which  we  belong,  Ijut 
also  in  the  outside  world.  But  to  be  satisfactory  this  would 
require  more  than  one  discourse,  and  we  shall  therefore  have  to 
forbear 

Now,  before  closing  you  need  only  to  be  reminded  of  what 
no  doubt  has  already  occurred  to  you,  and  that  is  how  much 
worse,  morally,  socially  and  politically,  this  community  would 
have  been  but  for  the  preached  gospel  and  the  services  of  the 
sanctuary,  continuously  maintained  during  all  these  years.  To 
question  this  would  be  equivalent  to  a  denial  of  evident  and 
conspicuous  facts.  And,  moreover,  how  distinctly  does  the 
origin  of  our  church  suggest  the  equally  unquestionable  fact 
that  all  true  religious  life,  as  well  as  all  civic  virtue,  starts  from 
the  home.  The  church  in  the  home  and  the  church  as  a  liome 
is  the  only  church  that  is  one  in  any  real  and  sufficient  sense. 
This  will  show  us  clearly  how  we  should  transmit  to  others 
what  has  been  handed  down  to  us.     Profiting   thus   by   tlie 


ADDRESS    OF    REV.    J.    C.    CLYDE,    D.    D.  27 

experiences  of  our  forefathers,  we  can  the  more  easily  avoid 
damaging  errors  and  the  more  securely  follow  the  safe  paths 
which  lead  to  peace. 


ADDRESS    OF    KEY.    J.    C.     CLYDE,    D.  D. 

Unavoidable  injustice  is  done  to  Dr.  Clyde,  who  represented 
Newton  Presbytery,  by  the  necessity  of  giving  only  parts  of 
his  address,  as  follows  : 

•'  The  great  struggle  for  existence  and  advancement  in  this 
world  naturally  occupies  the  mind  and  calls  forth  the  physical 
energies  of  man.  Little  time  is  found  for  that  contemplation 
of  the  dead  past  which  does  not  in  some  way  contribute  to 
our  present  welfare.  And  yet  there  is  a  certain  enjoyment 
and  profit  to  be  derived  from  a  review  of  the  experiences  of 
our  forefathers,  though  it  bring  neither  food  to  eat,  raiment  to 
wear,  nor  money  for  the  purse.  By  such  contemplation  of  the 
past  we  are  enabled  better  to  appreciate  the  advantages  we  now 
enjoy,  and  more  cheerfully  to  submit  to  the  discouragements 
and  trials  which  make  up  the  common  lot  of  humanity.  So  to- 
day we  turn  our  faces,  for  a  little,  from  the  unknown  and  un- 
tried future,  to  the  known  past,  with  which  we  have  been 
made  more  or  less  familiar  by  the  experiences  of  those  who 
have  accomplished  their  mission  and  departed,  but  who  have 
left  something  of  that  experience  on  record,  from  which  we 
may  draw  lessons  for  guidance  and  encouragement. 

"  We  are  here  to-day  to  commemorate  an  event  in  the  history 
of  an  ecclesiastical  organization  which  happened  a  hundred 
years  ago.  That  event  and  the  ecclesiastical  organization  with 
which  it  was  connected  were  not  peculiar  or  solitary.  Other 
ecclesiastical  organizations  came  into  existence,  and  had  their 
interesting  and  important  events  in  that  indefinite  period — a 
hundred  years  ago — but  all  depended,  more  or  less,  upon  the 
forming  of  settlements  and  the  migrations  of  the  people  in  the 


28  ADDRESS    OF    EEV.    J.    C.    CLYDE,    D.    D, 

colonial  days.  Let  us,  then,  note  some  of  the  incidents  con- 
nected with  the  '  possessing '  of  this  goodly  land  around  us 
which  fell  to  the  heritage  of  our  forefathers. 

"  In  1623  we  see  the  iirst  formal  colony  sent  out  to  this 
part  of  the  country  from  Holland.  But  who  were  these 
colonists  ?  They  were  the  Walloons,  refugees  from  Flanders, 
Belgium,  who  in  religious  belief  were  Dutch  Piotestants. 
They,  like  tlie  French  Huguenots,  came  to  these  sliores  for 
conscience'  sake.  Most  of  them  located  at  New  Amsterdam, 
but  some,  with  their  leader,  Cornelius  May,  sailed  around  the 
southern  end  of  New  Jersey  into  Delaware  bay,  landed  and 
started  a  settlement  a  little  below  wliere  the  city  of  Camden 
now  stands." 

*  *  *  *  *  * 

After  speaking  of  tiie  long  light  between  the  Dutch,  of  New 
Amsterdam,  and  the  Englisli,  Mr.  Clyde  said : 

"  In  1664  Charles  II,  of  England,  granted  to  his  brother,  the 
Duke  of  York,  all  the  territory  between  the  mouth  of  the  Con- 
necticut and  the  mouth  of  the  Delaware  rivers,  Dutch  Gov- 
ernment, trading  companies  and  colonies  to  tlie  contrary  not- 
withstanding. To  carry  out  this  usurpation,  Nichols,  with  a 
British  fleet,  soon  appeared  at  New  Amsterdam,  and,  amid  the 
rage  and  futile  protestations  of  Stuyvesant,  the  capitulation 
was  extorted,  Fort  Orange  surrendered,  the  settlements  in  New 
Sweden  gave  in  their  adherence  to  the  new  authority,  New 
Amsterdam  was  supplemented  by  the  name  New  York,  New 
Netherlands  was  consigned  to  oblivion  for  the  time  being,  and 
the  British  flag  floated  supreme  from  Maine  to  Georgia.  This 
grant  to  the  Duke  of  York  included  the  present  State  of  New 
Jersey. 

•X-  *  -X-  4t  *  * 

"  A  band  of  Puritans  obtained  a  large  tract  of  hind  on  New- 
ark bay,  and  the  city  of  Elizabeth  was  started  and  so  named  in 
honor  of  Lady  Carteret.  Philip  Carteret,  son  of  Sir  George, 
arrived  in  1665,  holding  a  commission  as  Governor.     Nichols, 


ADDRESS    OF    KEY.    J.    C.    CLYDE,    D.    D.  29 

of  'New  York,  bitterly  opposed  him,  but  he  nevertheless  as- 
sumed authority  over  all  the  settlers  west  of  the  Hudson. 
Elizabeth  was  chosen  as  the  capital  of  the  colony.  Many  im- 
migrants now  settled  on  the  Passaic.  The  city  of  Kewark  was 
founded,  and  villages  sprang  up  all  along  the  shore  around  to 
Sandy  Hook. 

"  Sir  George  Carteret  being  Governor  of  the  Isle  of  Jersey,  in 
the  British  Channel,  very  naturally  named  his  American  colony 
New  Jersey.  The  people  were  granted  a  constitution.  The 
civil  authority  consisted  of  a  governor,  council  and  legislative 
assembly.  Taxes  were  laid  by  the  representatives  of  the  peo- 
ple. Freedom  of  conscience  in  religious  matters  was  guaran- 
teed. Lands  were  distributed  to  settlers  for  a  quit-rent  of  a  half- 
penny per  acre,  not  payable  till  1670. 

"  The  first  legislative  assembly  convened  at  Elizabeth  in  1668, 
and  was  composed  almost  exclusively  of  Puritans,  and  the  in- 
stitutions of  the  colony  took  the  general  form  of  those  in  New 
England.  The  quit-rents  came  due  in  1670.  But  the  people 
had  purchased  their  lands  primarily  from  the  Indians,  and 
secondarily  from  Governor  N^ichols,  of  New  York,  who  still 
claimed  jurisdiction  in  New  Jersey.  They  therefore  felt  that 
a  third  payment  was  unjust.  Violence  followed.  In  1672  the 
Assembly  deposed  Philip  Carteret,  and  his  brother  James  be- 
came Governor  of  the  colony. 

"The  Dutch  in  1673  obtained  control  of  the  country  again, 
but  in  1675,  Philip  Carteret,  the  former  Governor  of  New 
Jersey,  returned  and  found  himself  bitterly  opposed  by  Andros, 
of  New  York,  who,  among  other  things,  laid  tribute  upon  the 
ships  sailing  to  the  Jersey  coast.  In  the  meantime  Edward 
Byllings  became  involved  in  debt  and  made  an  assignment  to 
Gowen  Laurie,  Nicholas  Lucas  and  William  Penn,  for  the 
benefit  of  his  creditors.  These  Quakei'S  asked  Sir  George  Carte- 
ret to  divide  the  pi  ovince.  This  he  was  willing  to  do,  for  thei'eby 
he  would  get  control  of  his  share  without  incumbrance.  Accord- 
ingly, in  1676,  a  line  was  agreed  upon,  drawn  from  the  southern 


30  ADDRESS    OF    EEV.    J.    C.    CLYDE,    D.    D. 

point  of  land  on  the  east  side  of  Little  Egg  Harbor,  to  a  point  on 
tlie  Delaware  Eiver  in  latitude  41°  40'.  All  east  of  this  line  was 
called  East  Jersey,  and  all  west  of  it  West  Jersey.  This  line 
(Lawrence's)  would  cross  the  New  Jersey  Southern  Eailroad  a 
little  south  of  Whiting ;  the  Pennsylvania  Eailroad,  running 
from  Bordentown  to  South  Amboy,  a  little  east  of  Hightstown 
Junction  ;  the  same  railroad,  running  from  Trenton  by  way  of 
New  Brunswick,  a  little  west  of  Monmouth  Junction  ;  it  would 
cross  the  Lehigh  Valley  Eailroad  between  Flagtown  and  Bound 
Brook,  and  the  Central  Eailroad  of  New  Jersey  between 
Earitan  and  Somerville  ;  thence  across  German  Yalley  a  little 
west  of  Chester  ;  through  Budd's  Lake,  crossing  the  Delaware, 
Lackawanna  and  Western  Eailroad  close  to  Waterloo  on  the 
west ;  thence  by  the  western  end  of  Eeading's  Pond  and  east- 
ern end  of  Swartswood  Lake,  close  by  Quick's  Pond,  striking 
the  Delaware  Eiver  near  Bevare's,  below  Dingman's  Ferry. 

*****  -Sf 

'■  In  the  fall  of  1677  more  than  four  hundred  Quaker  immi- 
grants took  up  their  abode  in  West  Jersey  under  the  auspices 
of  the  proprietaries.  Andros,  of  New  York,  by  his  agent  at 
New  Castle,  Delaware,  attempted  to  collect  tribute  of  the 
Quaker  ships  that  came  to  the  shores  of  West  Jersey,  but  the 
English  courts  decided  that  this  could  not  be  done.  The  heirs 
of  Sir  George  Carteret  quickly  secured  a  similar  immunity  for 
themselves  in  East  Jersey,  and  so  all  the  territory  of  New 
Jersey  became  tribute  free.  Deputy-Governor  Samuel  Jennings 
convened  the  first  legislative  assembly  in  West  Jersey  in  1681. 
It  decreed  religious  toleration ;  equality  before  the  law  ;  no 
imprisonment  for  debt ;  the  sale  of  rum  to  the  Indians  was  pro- 
hibited ;  representatives  of  the  people  were  to  lay  the  taxes ; 
lands  were  to  be  purchased  from  the  Indians,  and  a  criminal, 
unless  a  murderer,  traitor  or  thief,  might  be  pardoned  by  the 
offended  party. 

****** 

"In  1682  William  Penn,  with  eleven  other  Quakers,  bought 


ADDRESS    OF    KEY.    J.    C.    CLYDE,    D.    D.  31 

out  the  Carteret  interest  in  East  Jersey,  and  the  whole  province 
passed  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Friends.  Robert  Barclay 
became  Governor.  He  was  a  Scotch  Quaker  from  Aberdeen, 
and  during  his  administration  there  was  a  large  immigration  to 
New  Jersey  of  those  of  like  nationality  and  like  religious  faith 
with  himself.  The  persecuted  Presbyterians  of  his  native 
country  also  came  in  greater  numbers  than  his  co-religionists, 
and  so  we  see  how  seeds  of  Presbyterianism  were  sown  in  this 
section  of  the  country  in  that  distant  day." 

After  speaking  of  the  conflicts  of  jurisdiction  between  the 
governors  of  ISTew  York  and  New  Jersey,  Dr.  Clyde  continued  : 

"  Thus  were  public  affairs  brought  down  to  that  confusion 
which  ended  in  the  surrender  of  charter  privileges  and  the 
turning  over  of  the  territory  of  New  Jersey  to  the  King  of 
England  as  a  crown  province.  Under  him  the  old  Duke  of 
York,  now  James  II,  desired  to  consolidate  under  one  rule  all 
the  country  between  the  mouth  of  the  Delaware  and  the  mouth 
of  the  Connecticut,  as  he  had  before  claimed  he  had  a  right  to 
do.  Fletcher  was  made  commander  of  all  the  militia  in  Con- 
necticut, New  York  and  New  Jersey. 

"  In  the  attempt  to  carry  out  this  scheme  there  was  a  sad  state 

of  affairs  in  New  Jersey.     The  representatives  of  the  Carterets 

claimed  East  Jersey,  Penn  claimed  it,  and  the   Governor  of 

New  York  claimed  it.  As  to  West  Jersey,  the  heirs  of  Byllings 

claimed  it,  his  assignees  claimed  it,  and  the  Governor  of  New 

York  claimed   it   also.     The   King    of    England,    moreover, 

claimed  all.     From  1689  to  1692  there  was  practical  anarchy 

in  the  province,  and  during  the  succeeding  decade  there  were 

more  rulers  than  were  convenient  or  profitable.     The  whole 

difficulty  was  solved  in  1702  by  the  surrender  of  the  crown 

of  all  rights  except  those  of  ownership  of  the  soil.     Thus  New 

Jersey  became  a  crown  province.     Fletcher  was  followed  in 

1697  by  the  Earl  of  Bellomont. 

»  *  *  -jfr  *  * 

"  Governor  Bellomont  was  followed,  in  1702,  by  Lord  Corn- 


32  ADDRESS    OF    REV.    J.    C.    CLYDE,    D.    D. 

bury.  New  Jersey  having  become  a  royal  province  this  year, 
as  we  have  seen,  the  two  colonies  of  New  York  and  New 
Jersey  were  united  under  the  new  ruler,  in  which  relation  they 
remained  for  thirty-six  years.  While  the  two  provinces  of  New 
York  and  New  Jersey  were  under  one  Governor  they  retained 
separate  legislative  assemblies  and  distinct  territorial  limits. 
A  separation  was  applied  for  on  the  part  of  New  Jersey  in 
1728,  but  it  was  not  obtained  until  another  decade  had  passed. 
As  Lewis  Morris  was  instrumental  in  obtaining  the  separation, 
he  became  the  first  Governor  under  the  new  order  of  things. 
During  the  administration  of  these  latter  Governors,  the  great 
causes  of  the  American  Revolution  were  working  out  their 
legitimate  results  with  which  the  schoolboy  is  made  familiar. 
Among  these  might  be  mentioned  the  intermeddling  with 
colonial  affairs  on  the  part  of  the  British  Parliament.  English 
sovereigns  claimed  the  exclusive  control  over  the  colonies.  Par- 
liament repudiated  this  idea  at  the  calling  of  William  of 
Orange  to  the  English  throne.  But  the  people  of  the  colonies 
clung  to  the  sovereign  as  their  liege  lord,  and  looked  upon  the 
intermeddlings  of  Parliament  as  impertinences  to  be  resisted." 

Among  the  other  causes  of  the  American  Revolution,  Dr. 
Clyde  mentioned  the  following : 

"  England,  with  other  European  nations,  was  possessed  with 
the  hallucination  that  gold  and  silver  constituted  a  people's, 
wealth.  Hence,  the  policy  was  to  export  to  the  colonies  more 
than  was  imported  from  them,  the  balance  in  trade  being  ex- 
acted in  gold  and  silver.  To  carry  out  this  policy  there  must 
be  protective  tariff  at  home  against  the  colonies. 

''  Then  England  must  grow  rich  by  engaging  in  the  African 
slave  trade,  forcing  the  black  man  upon  the  colonists  against 
the  rights  and  protests  of  both. 

*  -X-  'X-  .^  *  * 

"  Then  the  march  of  events  in  the  overthrow  of  the  European 
colonial  system,  fast  bringing  about  a  crisis.     One  European 


ADDRESS    OF   REV.    A.    A.    HAINES.  33 

nation  refused  to  respect  the  rights  of  another  in  the  matter  of 
colonial  dependencies.  Thus  if  a  colony,  oppressed  by  its 
parent  country,  showed  signs  of  resistance,  it  would  receive 
encouragement  and  assistance  from  some  other  foreign  power. 
"  Thus  the  colonies  were  encouraged  to  put  forth  efforts  for 
their  own  welfare  in  the  midst  of  the  common  confusion. 

*  -54  *  *  *  .X- 

"  Then  the  sending  of  criminals  to  prey  upon  the  homes 
and  lives  of  the  colonists  went  far  to  Ull  to  the  brim  the  cup  of 
colonial  sorrows.  The  crisis  came,  and  the  colonists,  having 
learned  their  power  by  experiences  of  the  French  and  Indian 
war,  united  their  efforts  and  never  gave  uj3  their  contest  for 
independence  till  the  power  of  the  op]:h-essor  was  completely 
broken  in  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis  at  Yorktown." 


ADDRESS    OF    EEV.    A.    A.    HAINES. 

He  who  plants  a  church  may  be  compared  to  tlie  man  who 
digs  a  well.  He  may  enjoy  the  blessing  of  it  in  his  own  life- 
time, and  then  leave  it  to  future  generations  for  their  blessing 
and  comfort.  The  life-giving  stream  Avill  flow  on  when  he 
himself  has  long  done  with  earthly  things.  Children  and  chil- 
dren's children  shall  come  and  draw  water  from  the  well  ox 
salvation.  The  sons  of  strangers  shall  be  made  heirs  of  eternal 
life.  The  thirsty  soul  shall  come  and  drink,  and  the  weary  and 
the  heavy  laden  shall  find  rest  beneath  the  shadow  of  the  trees 
and  foliage  which  spring  around  it.  What  a  source  of  good  for 
a  hundred  years  has  been  this  Sparta  church  !  For  the  lifetime 
of  three  generations  have  God's  people  worshipped,  and  con- 
verts been  multiplied,  and  souls  won  on  this  spot.  The  Lord 
shall  count  when  He  writeth  up  the  people,  that  this  man  was 
born  there.  The  dews  of  heavenly  grace  have  descended  here, 
and  the  Holy  Spirit  been  often  poured  out  within  these  walls. 
From  the  lips  of  many  preachers  has  the  Gospel  been  proclaimed 

(8 


34  ADDRESS    OF    REV.    A.    A.    HAINES. 

and  the  offer  of  mercy  extended.  What  numbers  have  ac- 
cepted that  offer  and  rejoiced  in  the  Lord  tlieir  Saviour ! 

Previous  to  the  Revolutionary  war  the  population  of  this 
county  was  sparse  and  widely  separated.  The  present  existing 
towns  were  unknown,  and  few  localities  bore  the  same  names 
they  now  have.  Newton  was  called  Sussex  Court  House ; 
Andover,  Sussex  Mine ;  Hamburg,  Walllng's ;  Lafayette, 
Snoohs  ;  and  Sparta,  the  Head  of  the  Wallkill.  The  Wallkill 
derived  its  name  from  the  River  Wall  in  the  Netherlands, 
from  which  came  some  of  the  early  inhabitants,  who  settled 
alono-  the  lower  banks  of  the  stream.  The  County  of  Sussex 
was  formed  in  1753.  The  Township,  in  wdiich  was  the  court 
house  was  called  New  Town,  and  from  that  comes  the  modern 
name  Newton.  The  township  of  Hardiston  was  set  off  from 
Newtown  in  1762,  and  included  the  present  township  of  Sjtarta. 

Sparta  was  the  name  given  by  Mrs.  Phebe  Hatfield 
Oo-den  wife  of  Robert  Ogden,  2d,  to  their  house  and  farms 
four  miles  away.  She  was  a  woman  of  patriotic  spirit,  with  three 
sons  in  the  army  of  Washington  and  one  a  commissary  in  the 
army.  She  gave  the  name  to  her  home  with  the  wish  that  the 
youth  of  this  vicinity  might  emulate  the  virtues  of  ancient 
Sparta.  When  a  post-office  was  established  it  was  called 
:Sparta.  The  list  of  post-offices  of  1808  has  J.  Northriip,  post- 
master. Edsall  says,  in  his  centennial  address  of  1854:  "In 
1769  Newton  contained  an  Episcopal  congregation,  the  first 
formed  in  the  county ;  about  the  same  time  a  German  congre- 
o-ation  was  gathered,  and  a  Presbyterian  congregation  was  Soon 
iDrought  too-ether."  We  may  assume,  therefore^  that  the  date 
of  1757,  given  for  the  organization  of  the  Newton  church,  may 
be  correct.  As  early  as  1750  Presbyterian  families  were 
settled  at  Hamburg,  and  had  occasional  services  in  their  houses. 
Few  records  remain  of  these  early  congregations,  but  we  know 
that  church  organizations  were  in  existence.  There  was,  at 
any  rate,  occasional  preaching,  with  the  administration  of  the 
sacraments. 


ADDRESS    OF    REV.    A.    A.    HAINES.  35 

This  cluirch  owed  its  earliest  existence  to  Robert  Ogden,  2d, 
and  the  church's  early  history  is  very  closely  connected  with 
his  own  and  that  of  his  sons,  Robert  and  Matthias.     He  was 
born  in  the  borough  of  Elizabeth,  where  he  resided  until  his 
removal  to  Sussex.     He  filled  numerous  offices  of  honor  and 
trust  under  the  crown.     He  was  a  member  of  the  New  Jersey 
Council  and  several  years  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Assembly. 
Being  appointed  one  of  the  delegates  from  the  Legislature  of 
New  Jersey  to  the  Provis-ional  Congress  that  met  in  1765,  in 
New  York,  to  protest  against  the  Stamp  Act,   he,  ^  ith  the 
chairman  of  the  convention,  refused  to  sign  the  protest  and 
petition  to  the  King  and  Parliament,  upon  the  ground  that  it 
should  be  transmitted  to  the  Provincial  Assembly,  and  throuo-h 
it  be  presented  to  the  Government  of  Great  Britain.     This  so 
greatly  displeased  his  constituents  that  he  was  burned  in  effigy 
on  his  return  home.     He  convened  the  Assembly  and  resigned 
his  Speakership  and  membership,  and  in   his  address  on  the 
occasion  said  :   ''  I  trust  Providence  will,  in  due  time,  make  the 
rectitude  of  my  heart  and  my  inviolable  affection  to  my  country 
appear  in  a  fair  light  to  the  world  ;    and  that  my  sole  aim  was 
the  happiness  of  New  Jersey."     He  never  after  accepted  public 
oftice  under  the  State.    When  the  war  of  the  Revolution  beo'an 
he  took  a  firm  stand  on  the  side  of  freedom,  and  was  a  member 
of  the  Committee  of  Vigilance  for  the  town.     But  for  his  re- 
fusal to  accej^t  office,  he  would  probably  have  been  a  member 
of  Congress  when  the  Declaration  of  Independence  was  signed 
along  with  his  friend  and  correspondent,  Richard  Stockton. 
He  was  so  obnoxious  to  the  Tories  that  they  made  great  efforts 
to  capture  him,  and  this  may  have  had  something  to  do  with 
his  removal  iinally  to  Sussex.     The  exact  date  of  this  is  indefi- 
nite, for  the  reason  that  he  came  and  returned  again  more  than 
once.     Edsall  says  :     "  Among  the  earliest  settlers  was  Robert 
Ogden,  who  removed  from  Elizabethtown  in   1765  or  1766." 
Early  papers  show  his  presence  here,  although  he  was  residing 
in  Elizabethtown  when  the  war  broke  out.     After  the  battle 


36  ADDRESS    OF    REV.    A.    A.    HAINES. 

of  Long  Island  and  the  occupation  of  New  York  by  the  British, 
September  15,  1T7C,  it  was  no  longer  safe  for  him  to  remain 
there,  and  in  a  letter  written  October  7  to  his  son-in-law  he 
says :    "  Your  mother  still  seems  undetermined  wliether  to  stay 
here  by  the  stuff  or  remove  to  Sussex.     A  few  days  will  de- 
termine her,  but  perhaps  in  a  few  days  it  may  be  too  late  to 
determine  a  matter  of  this  importance."     The  determination  to 
remove  was  forced   upon   them  when  "Washington   retreated 
through  the  Jerseys ;    and  the  winter,  which  found  him  in 
Morristown,  found   them  in   Sparta.     [See  letter  of  January, 
1777,  from  his  son  addressed,  "Robert  Ogden,  Sussex."]     One 
of  his  descendants  writes :    "  My  great  grandfather  and  his  wife, 
Phebe  Hatfield,  lived  on  the  rising  ground  toward  the  Snuff- 
town  Mountain.     I  believe  he  was  one  of  the  original  proprie- 
tors of  East  Jersey,  but  whether  this  is  correct  or  not,  he 
owned  a  great  deal  of  land  estate   in  this  vicinity  and  some  of 
the  '  Drowned  Lands '  of  Wantage.     There  were  no  sawmills 
in  the  country  when  he  emigrated  from  Elizabethtown.     The 
house  was  built  entirely  of  squared  logs.     I  have  often  been  in 
the  house,  but  before  my  advent  it  was  handsomely  covered  with 
weather-boards,  and   wainscoted   and   plastered   within.     The 
house  was  a  large  one,  with  a  hall  running  through  the  center. 
Four  rooms  were  on  a   floor  and  a  very  large  kitchen.     My 
great   grandmother  and  her  sister,  Bettie  Hattield,  made  this 
house  and  its  surroundings  very  beautiful.     There  was  a  large 
lawn  and  garden.     Around  the  lawn  were  set  rose-bushes,  lilacs 
and  syringas  in  regular  order.     The  whole  country  was  at  that 
time  covered  with  a  dense  forest.     A  clergyman  who  was  a 
guest  of  the  family  when  some  of  the  ornamental  plants  were 
in  bloom,  exclaimed,  '  Mrs.  Ogden,  you  have  made  the  wilder- 
ness to    blossom  as  the  rose.'  "     It  was  this  house  that  was 
assailed  by  the  gang  of  robbers   (called  cowboys);    and  the 
ample  cellars  afforded  them  refreshment  and  booty.     I  always 
undei-stood  that  the  leader  of  the  gang  was  Claudius  Smith, 
and  that  he  confessed  to  participation   in   the  robbery  when 


ADDRESS    OF    KEY.    A.    A.    HAINES.  37 

under  the  gallows  in  Goshen,  X.  Y.  It  was  a  very  cold  night 
One  of  the  black  girls,  as  she  was  milking,  saw,  as  she  said,  a 
man  lift  his  head  np  from  behind  a  log  where  he  was  lying. 
But  the  family  were  not  alarmed,  as  there  were  guards  in  a 
block-house  two  miles  away,  and  they  thought  themselves  safe 
from  the  Tories.  They  robbed  the  house  of  all  the  silver,  but 
were  disappointed  in  not  finding  the  large  sum  of  money  which 
Judge  Ogden  was  supposed  to  have  received  for  purchasing 
provisions  for  the  Continental  Army.  They  drank  freely  of 
some  whisky,  kept  in  the  cellar,  and  were  by  it  thrown  off 
their  guard,  and  found  that  he  knew  some  of  them.  One  man 
said,  "  Judge,  I  have  had  many  a  good  meal  in  your  house 
before  this."  When  they  had  ransacked  through  ever^^thing  and 
collected  their  booty,  they  took  him,  with  the  big  family  Bible, 
down  stairs  into  the  cellar,  and  threatened  to  kill  him  if  he 
would  not  take  his  solemn  oath  never  to  divulge  w^ho  they 
were  or  seek  their  punishment.  When  they  were  taking  him 
down,  Mrs.  Ogden  shrieked,  thinking  they  were  going  to  mur- 
der him.  The  alarm  was  sounded  next  morning  through  one 
of  the  negro  boys,  who  hid  himself  all  night  in  the  swamp,  and 
on  going  out  informed  the  guards  at  the  block-house,  who  with 
some  of  the  neighbors  gave  chase.  They  tracked  them  in  the 
snow,  and  saw  where  they  had  cooked  and  slept  and  had  thrown 
away  some  blankets ;  and  a  silver  sugar  bowl  which  had  been 
dropped  was  found.  Some  of  the  booty  was  afterward  recovered 
where  it  had  been  hid ;  but  Judge  Ogden  so  regarded  his  oath 
that  he  refused  to  authorize  any  proceedings  against  the  men. 

'•  The  people  of  this  county  were  very  much  annoyed  by  the 
surprises  of  a  Tory  band,  who  mysteriously  disappeared  after 
their  raids.  At  last  one  fellow  was  found  in  a  house  where  he 
was  lying  either  sick  or  disabled  from  an  accident.  Being 
threatened  with  hanging,  he  made  a  full  confession,  and  gave  in- 
formation by  which  members  of  the  gang  were  taken.  In  an 
old  house  two  chimneys  came  together,  with  a  single  top  above 
the  roof,  and  between  was  a  closet,  where  three  men  were 


38  ADDRESS    OF    REV.    A.    A.    HAINES. 

secreted.  An  old  haystack  had  been  left  over  from  a  former 
haying,  and  its  interior  had  been  hollowed  to  afford  a  hiding 
place,  and  here  several  were  taken.  At  first  there  was  no  an- 
swer to  the  demand  to  "  come  ont  and  snrrender."  But  when 
the  leg  of  one  of  them  was  seized  hold  npon  he  was  soon 
dragged  out  and  the  rest  made  to  follow,  and  the  stack  was  soon 
a-blazing.  The  pursuing  party  came  to  a  large  house  somewhere 
on  Snufftown  Mountain,  where  the  owner  received  them  with 
much  apparent  frankness  and  conducted  them  all  over  the 
house,  telling  them  they  should  see  everything  and  they  would 
find  all  right  on  his  premises.  He  brought  them  to  the  last 
room,  saying,  "  My  wife  is  lying  here  very  sick,  and  you  need 
not  disturb  her,  but  just  go  in  and  see  there  is  nothing  there."' 
They  said  they  would  not  harm  the  sick  woman,  but  the  cap- 
tain l)eckoned  his  men  to  come  in.  Over  the  floor  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  room  a  green  baize  cloth  had  been  tacked  down,  and 
the  bed  was  on  that  and  the  woman  in  the  bed.  They  lifted 
the  bedstead  and  woman  aside,  took  up  the  cloth,  and  found  a 
trap  door  in  the  floor,  beneath  which  was  an  excavation  in 
which  half  a  dozen  fellows  were  hiding.  Other  ruffians  were 
picked  up  elsewhere,  until  they  had  cpiite  a  company  of  prison- 
ers, with  which  the  captain  set  off  for  Goshen.  When  night  came 
on  they  camped  and  made  a  pen  of  logs  for  the  culprits  and  built 
a  large  Are,  but  drank  so  freely  of  whisky  from  a  big  keg  they 
had  taken  that  guards  and  all  went  to  sleep  and  their  prisoners 
all  escaped.  Claudius  Smith  was  afterward  retaken  and  exe- 
cuted for  his  numerous  crimes.  He  was  connected  with  the 
robber  Moody,  who  had  a  place  of  retreat  near  Newton,  and 
who  after  the  war  escaped  to  England,  where  he  published  a 
romantic  story  of  his  life  and  deeds.  This  house  of  Judge 
Ogden  first  held  the  Sparta  church.  Here  its  owner  and  his 
wife  would  gather  their  tenants  and  neighbors  for  divine  wor- 
ship, he  himself  leading  the  services  on  the  Sabbath  when  no 
clergyman  was  present. 

The  Kevolutionarv  war  was  over.     On  March  10,  1786,  the 


ADDRESS    OF    REV.    A.    A.    HAINES.  39 

New  Jersey  Legislature  passed  an  act  for  the  incorporation  of 
religious  societies.  This  church  was  the  first  to  avail  itself  of 
the  benefits  of  the  new  law,  and,  associated  with  the  congrega- 
tion of  Gary  Meeting  House,  they  assumed  the  name  of  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church  in  Hardiston,  November  23,  1786. 
Steps  were  immediately  taken  toward  the  erection  of  a  meet- 
ing-house. But  snow  M\is  on  the  ground  before  any  timber 
was  cut.  The  story  of  the  prayer  in  the  sleigh  by  the  old 
Judge,  with  the  axemen  all  around  him,  has  been  already  nar- 
rated. The  frame  was  ve'ry  substantial,  as  proved  by  its  last- 
ing until  to-day,  being  used  in  the  present  structure.  Judge 
Richard  H.  Morris  informed  me  they  worshipped  at  first  with 
ground  floor  and  scored  logs  for  seats.  »  Judge  Ogden  died 
January  21,  1787,  in  his  71st  year.  It  is  not  likely  that  he 
beheld  the  new  meeting-house  erected,  but  was  laid  to  rest  a 
little  in  its  rear  after  work  was  beg-un.  He  was  lono;  an  elder 
in  the  Elizabethtown  church,  being  a  descendant  of  "  good  old 
John  Ogden,"  who  came  from  North  Hampton,  England,  1635, 
and  was  one  of  the  two  original  patentees  of  the  Elizabethtown 
purchase,  1664.  Judge  Ogden,  as  an  elder,  was  a  member  of 
the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  1763  and  1766. 

After  his  death  his  son,  Robert  Ogden,  3d,  was  active  in 
the  church,  being  an  elder  and  president  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees,  and  a  large  contributor  to  the  support  of  tlie  church 
and  its  work  of  benevolence.  He  died  at  Hamburg,  February 
14,  1826,  at  the  house  of  his  grandson,  Daniel  Haines.  A 
lawyer  called  to  be  sergeant- at-law,  he  had  a  large  practice  in 
the  State.  He  was  disabled  in  the  arm  by  a  fall  in  childhood, 
incapacitating  him  from  the  use  of  musket  or  sword  during  the 
Revolutionary  war.  But  he  was  quartermaster  and  commis- 
sary of  subsistence  and  stores,  and  rendered  good  service  to  the 
army,  giving  his  time,  money  and  credit  freely  to  supply  the 
army.  His  pay  for  subsistence  furnished  was  in  Continental 
money  (worthless  at  the  end  of  the  war),  which  was  kept  in 
an  old  trunk  in  a  garret  until  finally  scattered  and  lost.     Dur- 


4:0  ADDRESS    OF    REV.    A.    A.    HAINES. 

ing  the  war  he  removed  liis  family  to  Sussex,  but  returned  to 
Elizabethtown  when  it  closed,  as  I  judge  by  the  remark  of  Col. 
Aaron  Ogden,  wlio  said  to  some  friends,  as  Washington  bade 
farewell  to  his  officers,  at  Newburg,  1783,  "  Here  I  am  without 
a  profession  and  27  years  old ;  I  expect  to  go  to  Elizabethtown 
and  enter  my  name  in  my  brother  Robert's  office  as  a  student 
at  law.'''  Suffering  from  asthma  at  times,  only  the  mountain 
air  could  bring  him  relief,  and  he  alternated  for  some  years 
between  his  two  homes.  His  house  in  Sussex  is  now  standing, 
and  some  of  us  have  passed  it  to-day  in  coming  to  this  meet- 
ing. It  was  built  by  a  Mr.  Hoagland,  whose  name  appears  in 
the  church  records.  It  was  a  house  of  great  hospitality,  and 
ministers  made  it  their  home  very  frequently.  One  who  had 
been  a  guest  there  said  of  it  that  it  possessed  an  air  of  com- 
fort, polish  and  gentility.  "  There  was  a  well-stocked  larder, 
plenty  of  servants,  abundance  of  fruit,  and  a  pious,  good  family 
to  entertain  you."  Mr.  Ogden  was  very  particular  to  main- 
tain family  worship,  and  did  all  he  could  in  every  way  to  pro- 
mote private,  social  and  public  worship.  He  sometimes  con- 
ducted the  prayer  meeting  in  Mr.  Woodruff's  schoolhouse, 
near  his  own  dwelling.  He  sustained  the  public  worshij)  in 
the  church  at  Sparta  when  a  clergyman  was  absent.  He  was 
greatly  respected  by  all  of  mature  years,  and  beloved  by  all  the 
children.  The  most  by  which  he  is  now  known  is  what  he  did 
for  the  cause  of  his  Master.  The  ministers  supplying  this 
•church  were  the  same  who  preached  at  the  Gary  Meeting 
House  until  May  15,  1819,  when  the  North  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Hardiston  was  formed  as  a  distinct  organization.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1805,  a  subscription  paper  was  drawn  up  to  learn  how 
much  could  be  paid  a  supply  from  the  New  York  Presbytery 
at  the  Gary  Meeting  House.  I  presume  the  same  was  done  by 
this  church. 

A  letter  of  Rev.  Jos.  L.  Shafer  to  Robert  Ogden,  written  as 
he  was  contemplating  settlement  [see  Appendix  II],  speaks  of 
liis  uncertainty  as  to  his  duty  and  doubt  whether  the  salary  of 


ADDRESS    OF    RET.    A.    A.    HAINES.  41 

$500,  which  was  promised  from  all  these  churches  combined, 
was  sufficient.  This  church  has  been  blessed  with  precious  re- 
vivals, attending  the  labors,  during  different  protracted  meet- 
ings, of  such  honored  servants  of  God  as  Enos  Osborn,  Peter 
Kanouse,  Elias  R.  Fairchild  and  Edward  Allen.  The  older 
members  may  remember  the  weeping  between  the  porch  and 
the  altar,  when  the  Word  came  with  power,  and  scores  were 
pricked  to  the  heart  with  conviction  of  sin ;  when  the  great 
concern  for  the  time  in  all  the  place  seemed  to  be  the  question, 
What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved  ?  Precious  were  the  communion 
seasons,  when  the  gathered  fruits  were  received,  and  many 
stood  up  in  these  aisles  to  confess  their  Lord. 

The  great  revival  of  1800  was  slow  in  reaching  these  parts, 
but  from  1815  to  1820  the  waves  of  the  precious  work  ex- 
tended over  Sussex  County — as  witness  the  church  of  New- 
foundland, gathered  in  a  barn— the  Clove  church  increased  to  a 
membership  of  500,  and  all  our  churches  made  much  larger 
than  they  had  ever  been  before.  It  was  not  uncommon  for  75 
or  100  new  members  to  be  received  at  once.  A  protracted 
meeting,  one  illustrative  of  the  kind  held  in  all  the  churches, 
was  attended  by  the  minister  of  this  church,  by  Mr,  John  Linn, 
from  Cary's  Meeting  House,  and  others  who  went  to  the 
Beemer  Meeting  House,  then  Congregational.  There  were 
services  continued  with  preaching  and  exhortations  of  different 
ministers  for  three  days.  Fifteen  hundred  jDersons  attended 
the  services,  and  no  doubt  they  must  have  been  held  on  that* 
account  in  the  open  air.  A  pmyer-mceting  was  held  at  day- 
light.    [See  Appendix  I.] 

Shall  such  times  of  refreshing  come  again  ?  There  is  no 
success  like  the  conversion  of  sinners.  These  are  a  church's 
joy  and  her  crown  of  rejoicing  in  the  Day  of  the  Lord. 
Brethren  of  the  Sparta  Church,  you  report  100  members.  What 
may  not  100  consecrated  men  and  women  do  for  their  Master 
in  a  town  like  this !  Why  may  jou  not  carry  the  whole  place 
for  Jesus  Christ !     Perishing  souls  are  all  about  you.     Pouse, 


42  ADDRESS    OF    REV.    A.    A.    HAINES. 

Christian  people  !  and  awake  to  a  sense  of  their  infinite  peril 
and  save  them  before  it  is  too  late.  Sincere  and  persevering 
efforts  for  good  will  be  sure  to  meet  with  success.  May  this 
Centennial  Celebration  be  followed  with  blessed  results,  and 
mark  a  new  era  of  growth  and  successful  endeavor  in  the  history 
of  your  church. 


APPKKDIX. 


I.— KEVIVALS   AND   CHURCH   WORK. 

The  following  extracts  from  the  diary  of  Robert  Ogden  (fur- 
nished by  Rev.  A.  A.  Haines)  are  very  interesting  for  the  ac- 
connts  tliey  contain  of  the  revivals  at  Beemer  Meeting  House  m 
1818  and  at  Beemerville  and  the  Clove  in  1824.  These  were 
followed  at  both  times  by  qnite  large  accessions  tlie  next  spnng 
at  North  Hardiston  and  Sparta.  It  also  appears  from  these 
records  that  the  w^eeldy  prayer-meeting  and  monthly  concert  ot 
prayer  for  missions  on  Monday  night  were  both  mamtamed 
here  at  that  early  day.  It  is  also  to  be  noted  that  both  the 
works  of  grace  referred  to  began  in  the  summer : 

"1818,  Tuesday,  25th  [August].— After  breakfast  set  ott 
with  Mr.  Crane  to  go  to  the  General  Meetins:  at  Beemer  s 
church,  in  Frankfor'd.  Eat  dinner  at  Judge  Linn's.  In  the 
evening  attended  the  prayer-meeting  in  Beemer's  church  ;  about 
100  assembled.  Lodged  at  N.  Beemer's.  Wednesday  mornmg 
attended  the  prayer-meeting  at  sunrise ;  about  tifty  attended. 
At  nine  assembled  for  worship.  Mr.  Greer,  Mr.  Williams,  Mr. 
Shafer,  Mr.  Crane,  Mr.  Baldwin  and  Mr.  Allen  attended.  Mr. 
Greer  preached,  the  others  exliorted.  At  twelve  had  an  hour  s 
intermission.  Assembled  at  one.  Mr.  Allen  preached  and  the 
others  exhorted.  Closed  the  exercises  before  four  o'clock.  It 
was  supposed  about  1500  were  collected.  No  accident  or  dis- 
turbance happened.  *  *  *  After  breakfast  on  Thursday 
morning  came  home.  Mr.  Crane  eat  dinner  with  me.  After 
dinner  went  to  prayer-meeting  [Sparta].    Drank  tea  and  lodged 

at  Mr.  Kelsey's.  ,    .     ,  ^n 

"Monday,    Tth    September,    1818.— Attended  the   monthly 


evening  concert  at  the  Academy. 

"  Saturday,  October  23d,  1824.— Went  to  Decker  Town. 
Lodged  at  Mr.  Allen's. 

"Sabbath,  24th.— Attended  the  communion  at  the  new  meet- 
ing-house below  the  mountain  in  Wantage  [Beemerville]  under 
the  pastoral  care  of  Mr.  Edward  Allen.     A  powerful  and  ex- 


44 


REVIVALS    AND    CHURCH    WORK. 


tensive  revival  of  religion  has  taken  place  in  that  congregation, 
and  the  congregation  of  the  Clove  and  of  Decker  Town,  now 
united  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Allen  about  three  months  ago, 
and  has  since  been  increasing  and  progressing,  so  that  122  new 
members  were  received  into  the  church,  of  whom  more  than 
fifty  received  baptism.  Mr.  Job  Foster  Ilalsey,  a  licentiate  from 
the  seminaty  at  Princeton,  was  there  and  assisted  Mr.  Allen  in 
the  administration  of  the  ordinance.  The  house,  although 
large,  was  crowded  to  overflowing.  The  exercises  of  The  day 
were  solemn,  imj^ressive,  edifying,  comforting  and  consoling, 
and  in  the  highest  degree  alarming  to  the  impenitent.  0  my 
God,  let  not  the  operations  of  the  Spirit  be  suspended,  but  may 
the;  still  be  visible  among  that  people  and  also  be  extended  to 
this  barren  corner  of  Thy  vineyard  !  " 

Another  account  of  the  great  meeting  at  Beemer  Meeting 
House  is  found  in  the  Rev.  Edward  Allen's  diary  in  the  pos- 
session of  Eev.  A.  A.  Haines.     It  is  as  follows  : 

"Wednesday,  26th  August,  1818. — In  a  gig  with  Judge  Linn 
rode  to  Beetner's  Meeting  House.  Here  found  live  Presbyterian 
clergymen  asseml)]ed,  two  of  the  Baptist  order,  one  Methodist 
and  one  Independent.  At  ten  public  worship  commenced.  Tlie 
exercises  were  commenced  by  Mr.  Williams.  After  an  ex- 
hortation and  prayer,  Mr.  Grier,  of  New  York  State  [West- 
town]  preached  a  good  sermon.  He  was  succeeded  by  Mr. 
Crane,  of  Sj^arta.  The  audience  was  large,  and  not  one-half 
could  get  in  the  house.  In  the  afternoon,  Mr.  Shafer,  of  New- 
ton, commenced  the  exercises  by  a  short  prayer.  I  then 
preached  a  sermon,  and  was  followed  by  an  exhortation  from 
Mr.  Baldwin  and  Mr.  Shafer.  At  four  our  meeting  was  dissolved. 
In  the  afternoon  we  preached  standing  in  the  door.  It  was 
judged  that  nearly  2000  persons  were  present,  but  the  order 
and  solemnity  were  as  ffreat  as  if  it  had  been  on  the  Lord's 
Day."  ^      _  ^ 

The  extensive  interest  referred  to  above  seems  to  have  been 
shared  by  this  church,  for  from  August,  1818,  to  January,  1819, 
sixty-tive  were  added  to  the  church.  In  April,  1825,  there 
was  another  season  of  awakening,  and  fourteen  were  added  to  the 
church  at  one  time.  In  January  and  April,  1827,  twenty  were 
added  ;  in  May,  1831,  thirty  ;  in  January  and  April,  1832, 
forty-two  (under  Mr.  Jewell's  ministry),  and  in  December  of 
the  same  year,  forty-three  (under  Mr.  Wyckoif).  The  next 
time  of  special  interest  seems  to  have  been  in  1843,  when  Mr. 
Torrey  was  here,  and  when  twenty  united  with  the  church  at 
one  conummiou.  In  1882  in  the  fall,  twenty-eight  were 
brought  into  the  church  through  Mr.  Tyack.     But  in  1858  oe 


REVIVALS    AND    CHURCH    WORK.  45 

curred  the  most  sweeping  and  lastine:  of  all  the  seasons  of 
awakening.  The  following  letter  of  Mr.  Willard  will  best  de- 
scribe it : 

'■  New  York,  December  15,  1886. 

"  Dear  Sir  :  Sparta  has  always  been  to  me  a  place  of  great 
interest,  and,  I  may  say,  of  greater  interest  than  any  other  of 
the  places  in  which  it  was  my  lot  to  preach.  It  was  there  that 
I  saw  the  greatest  display  of  the  power  of  God  in  the  conver- 
sion of  sinners  that  I  ever  saw  nnder  my  own  ministry.  I  was 
yonng  and  strong,  and  gave  them  the  best  that  I  had,  and  God 
added  His  blessing.  The  chnrch  contained  about  eighty  mem- 
bers, and  there  were  six  elders.  DavadCory,  and  Job,  his  son, 
Zophar  Halsey,  Morris  Wade,  Moses  Lanterman  and  Esquire 
Lennington.  We  had  a  good  time  together  on  earth,  and  I 
hope  we  will  have  a  bettei-  one  in  Heaven.  I  had  a  revival  of 
religion  in  Marshall,  Mich.,  bnt  I  did  not  have  such  elders  nor 
such  help  from  the  church.  I  suppose  one  reason  why  the 
revival  of  religion  moved  with  such  power  was  that  the  people 
were  many  of  them  great  sinners,  and  they  knew  it.  The 
people  in  some  other  places  are  as  great  sinners,  but  thej  do 
not  know  it.  The  winter  before  the  revival  there  was  a  great 
deal  of  feeling,  and  we  had  very  interesting  prayer-meetings, 
but  there  came  a  great  thaw  and  broke  up  our  meetings.  But 
God  knew  what  was  best  for  His  kingdom.  The  next  winter 
('57  and  '58)  we  began  to  hold  our  meetings  in  the  Academy 
on  Monday  evening,  and  on  Wednesday  we  moved  into  the 
church,  where  we  met  every  night  for  eight  weeks.  I  con- 
ducted the  meetings  and  preached.  Soon  after  they  began  we 
celebrated  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  live  or  six  persons  joined  the 
church.  This  added  great Ij''  to  the  interest  of  the  meetings, 
and  several  persons  were  brought  under  the  influence  of  the 
truth.  At  the  end  of  four  weeks  the  work  was  at  its  hight. 
Then  the  interest  became  so  intense  that  religion  was  the  great 
subject  of  conversation  and  everybody  came  to  church.  All 
other  matters  of  business  or  pleasure  were  laid  aside,  and  a 
pervading  seriousness  took  possession  of  the  town.  Persons 
came  to  church  every  night  from  three,  four,  and  even  live 
miles  away. 

"  Our  measures  were  simple  and  uniform.  No  one  was  asked 
to  stand  up  or  come  forward  for  prayers.  There  were  no  in- 
quiry meetings.  The  whole  town  was  an  inquiry  meeting.  I 
preached  a  sermon,  and  after  it  we  had  a  pra\  er-meeting  to 
which  all  remained,  and  at  the  close  of  the  service  a  few  re- 
mained and  prayed  with  the  inquirers.     Nearly  100  joined  the 


46  REVIVALS    AND    CHURCH    WORK. 

clnirch,  of  whom  sixty-five  were  baptized.  It  was  a  solemn  and 
an  affecting  sight.  A  great  part  of  tlie  persons  present  on  that 
day  are  dead.  They  have  gone  into  the  world  of  which  we 
then  spoke,  and  have  seen  the  things  of  which  they  then 
heard.  That  was  a  year  of  great  revivals  of  religion  all  over 
the  land,  and  just  such  a  year  as  we  now  need.  We  had  the 
presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  His  converting  power  because 
we  desired  it  and  asked  for  it  in  the  name  of  Christ.  The 
Word  had  power.  It  was  not  only  the  minister  who  spoke 
with  power,  but  every  pious  man  who  opened  his  mouth  had 
power,  and  every  man  felt  that  power.  And  some  refused  that 
offer  and  are  dead.  Some  heard  and  are  glad  and  will  be  so 
forever.  What  would  I  not  give  to  see  another  such  a  work 
of  grace  before  I  die  !     Yours  very  truly, 

"  Livingston  Willard." 

In  the  revival  of  which  Mr.  Willard  speaks  one  of  the  con- 
verts was  a  lady  on  a  visit  here  from  Paterson.  The  first  night 
she  attended  the  services  she  seemed  wholly  unmoved  and  in- 
different, but  when  personally  addressed  she  burst  into  tears, 
and  the  next  evening  was  rejoicing  in  a  sense  of  pardon. 
Another,  a  young  lady  from  Mendham,  was  converted,  and  as 
soon  as  she  returned  home  arose  in  the  prayer-meeting  and 
told  what  the  Lord  had  done  for  her  soul,  and  went  on  to  de- 
scribe what  wonderful  things  the  Lord  was  doing  in  Sparta.  A 
powerful  work  of  grace  immediately  began,  and  many  souls  were 
brought  to  Christ.  The  Rev.  K.  E.  Feagles,  who  afterward 
ministered  here,  was  pastor  of  Mendham  church  at  that  time. 

The  Sabbath  School. — There  was  a  Sabbath  School  at 
North  Hardiston  in  1818,  and  there  was  most  probably  one 
here  at  the  same  time.  The  earliest  record  referring  to  this 
matter  is  found  in  Rob.  Ogden's  diary,  where  we  find  at  the 
date,  August  21,  1820,  the  account  of  the  expenditure  of  fifty 
cents  for  twelve  prnners,  fifty  cents  for  twelve  "  Watts's  Cate- 
chisms," and  six  cents  for  six  alphabets,  evidently  for  the  Sabbath 
School  at  Sparta.  There  were  children  enough  here  for  one,  for 
in  1815  the  new  school  building,  two  stories  high,  was  built.  The 
superintendents  have  been,  as  far  as  remembered,  Elias  Beach, 
Squire  Lennington,  Manning,  Morris  Wade,  H.  B.  Straight,  Job 
Cory,  F.  C.  Easton.  The  school  now  numbers  sixty  scholars 
and  seven  teachers.  The  officers  and  teachers  are  as  follows  : 
Job  Cory,  superintendent ;  Eugene  Cory,  lil>rarian  and 
secretary,  Mrs.  Job  Cory,  Miss  Phebe  Congleton,  Mrs  Eugene 
Cory,  Miss  Jeanet  Sutton,  Miss  Mary  Sutton,  Theodore 
Anderson. 


KEVIVALS    AND    CHURCH    WOKK.  47 

The  Sparta  Mission  Band  was  organized  April  24,  1884, 
at  the  Parsonage.  The  officers  are  :  Miss  Kate  M.  Sutton,  presi- 
dent ;  Miss  busie  Dnrling,  treasurer ;  Miss  Mary  Sutton, 
secretary.  The  following  have  been  members  :  Miss  Mollie 
Folk,  Miss  Ella  McDavitt,  Miss  Annie  Morris,  Miss  Drusilla 
Washer,  Miss  Angle  Decker,  Miss  Rene  Dormida,  Miss  Jennie 
Shuman,  Miss  Mattie  Brasted,  Miss  Laura  Wilson,  Miss  Mamie 
Earl,  Miss  Bessie  Lyon,  Miss  Ennna  Gray. 

A  Ladies'  Aid  Society  has  been  m  active  operation  for  a 
number  of  years.  The  officers  at  present  are  :  President,  Mrs. 
T.  F.  Chambers ;  vice-president.  Miss  Phebe  Congleton ; 
treasurer,  Mrs.W.  E.  Ross ;  secretary,  Mrs.  Thomas  Maley.  The 
members  at  present  are  :  Mrs.  J.  B.  Titman,  Mrs.  Job  Coiy, 
Mrs.  Eugene  Cory,  Miss  Jane  Congleton,  Mrs.  Casterline,  Mrs. 
J.  B.  Boss,  Miss  Sherman,  Mrs.  Hewes,  Mrs.  Imogene  Lyons 
and  Miss  Abbe  Lyons. 

Benevolence. — This  church,  having  always  been  one  of  the 
smaller  country  churches,  has  never  contributed  at  any  one 
time  a  very  large  amount  to  the  benevolent  boards  of  the 
clmrch,  but  it  has  generally  recognized  its  duty  in  this  respect. 
Nevertheless  it  needs  to  cultivate  this  most  essential  grace  of 
giving  in  the  future  more  than  it  has  in  the  past  if  it  would 
not  fall  behind  the  large  advance  in  this  direction  made  by  the 
church  at  large. 

Temperance. — The  first  temperance  lecture  in  this  village 
was  delivered  February  3,  1835,  by  Mr.  Turner,  agent  of  tlie 
New  York  Temperance  Society.  In  the  same  year  Whitfield 
H.  Hurd  opened  a  temperance  house  and  maintained  it  for 
seven  years.  He  is  therefore  the  pioneer  in  temperance  work 
in  this  section.  The  Sons  of  Temperance,  the  Cadets  of  Tem- 
perance and  the  Pechabites  were  represented  by  organizations 
here.  In  the  time  of  Pev.  AVilliam  Torrey  very  earnest 
work  was  carried  on  in  this  direction  and  cases  of  drunkenness 
were  comparatively  rare.  Maybie  and  English  were  warmly 
welcomed  and  held  very  large  and  successful  meetings.  As  a 
result  of  these  a  very  efficient  and  prosperous  Peform  Club 
was  organized,  together  with  an  equally  active  and  vigorous 
Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union.  Union  temperance 
prayer-meetings  were  held  and  largely  attended  every  Sabbath 
afternoon.  But  unfortunate  differences  of  opinion  in  qonnec- 
tion  with  the  Presidential  election  in  the  fall  of  1884  inter- 
fered, and  the  non-political  Peform  Club  soon  died  and  a 
much  smaller  Prohibition  Club  was  organized  in  its  place. 
The  W.  C.  T.  U.  also  died  about  the  same  time.  The 
■churches,  as  such,  however,   still   maintain   a   monthly  union 


48       »  REVIVALS    AND    CHURCH    WORK. 

temperance  service,  and  a  marked  improvement  has  taken  place 
of  later  years  in  the  drinking  habits  of  the  place.  A  temper- 
ance paper  called  the  Sparta  Signal  was  started  by  Colins  San- 
ford  in  the  month  of  March,  1885.  At  lirst  published  monthly, 
it  was  made  in  September,  1886,  a  semi-monthly  of  larger  size. 

The  following  were  the  members  of  the  Sparta  Division  of 
the  Sons  of  Temperance,  Angiist  26,  1852: 

Offi^cers :  Job.  Cory,  W.  P. ;  J.  W.  Manning,  W.  A. ;  John 
B.  Easton,  E.  S. ;  David  S.  Cory,  H.  K.  S.  ;  J.  H.  Shuman, 
H.  S. ;  J.  F.  Cisco,  T. ;  Vincent  Carr,  C. ;  Chris.  K.  Pierson, 
A.  C. ;  Isaac  Cory,  I.  S. ;  Jonathan  Black.  O.  S. 

Members :  R.  B.  Smith,  A.  A.  Stackhonse,  Jas.  Boe,  T.  J. 
Blackwell,  B.  Bradbury,  Chas.  Beardsley,  Chas.  B.  Bonker, 
Gilman  T.  Cummings,  Horace  Decker,  L.  M.  Drake,  J.  B. 
Dunlop,  Sam.  Ellett,  Will.  Gathany,  Zophar  Halsey,  John 
Keepers,  J.  S.  Bennington,  W.  Lanterman,  John  Lanterman, 
Jac.  Moore,  Will.  L.  Peters,  Ben.  Pitney,  Sam.  Wright,  Morris 
Wade,  Jas.  W.  Rose,  John  Sickles,  Jas.  J.  Slockbower,  Isaac 
Seek,  Geo.  Slockbower,  Edgar  Manning,  J.  B.  Bos^,  John 
Boss,  Theo.  Goble,  Will.  Huff,  Daniel  Higbie,  Peter  McPeek, 
Ziba  S.  Nichols,  Jos.  Morrison,  Thos.  S^  Dedrick,  John  B. 
Hurd,  W.  Martin,  W.  Goble,  J.  Bleary,  Jac.  Willice,  P.  R. 
Yansickle,  Ben.  Rol,  D.  Cusliin,  Sidney  Smith. 


II.— MINISTERS. 

HoLLowAY  Whitefield  Hunt,  A.  M.,  was  bora  in  Orange 
County,  N.  Y.,  April  9,  1769 ;  graduated  from  the  College  of 
New  Jersey,  1794;  was  licensed  by  the  Presbytery  of  New 
Brunswick,  December,  1794;  ordained  and  installed  over 
churches  of  Newton  and  Ilardyston,  June  17,  1795  ;  became 
pastor  of  Bethlehem,  Alexandria  and  Kingwood,  Hunterdon 
County,  N.  J.,  in  1802;  resigned  the  charge  of  Kingwood 
(about  to  be  dishanded),  December  27,  1825,  went  over  with 
the  other  two  churches  to  the  New  School  body  in  1837 ;  re- 
signed the  charge  of  Bethleliem  and  Alexandria  (Mount  Pleas- 
ant) in  1842,  after  a  pastorate  of  forty  years  ;  and  died  January 
11,  1858,  on  his  farm  of  150  acres,  near  Midvale  Station,  in  the 
eighty-ninth  year  of  his  age.  In  1804  he  was  one  of  the  Com- 
missioners to  the  General  Assembly  from  the  Presbytery  of 
New  Brunswick.  "  In  the  later  years  of  his  life  he  gave  up 
the  active  duties  of  the  ministry  on  account  of  increasing  in- 
firmities." 

Barnabas  King,  D.  D.,  was  born  near  Marll)oro\  Mass., 
June  2,  1780 ;  graduated  from  Williams  College,  September  5, 
1804;  licensed  by  the  Berkshire  Association,  Massachusetts, 
October  15,  1805 ;  came  to  Sparta  December  25,  1805,  and 
soon  began  to  preach  there  and  also  occasionally  at  Berkshire 
Valley  and  Rockaway ;  tii'st  sermon  at  the  latter  place  was 
preached  in  a  private  house,  January  24,  1806,  on  the  text 
Eccles.  3:1;  engaged  as  stated  supply  at  Sparta,  October  19, 
1806,  for  one-half  the  time  for  $20(.)  a  year ;  agreed  to  supply 
Rockaway  one-half  the  time  in  October,  1807;  called  to  be 
pastor  of  Rockaway,  September  25,  1808 ;  ordained  and  in- 
stalled, December  27,  1808 ;  perhaps  preached  at  Sparta  for 
the  year  1809 ;  offered  his  resignation  as  pastor  of  Rockaway, 
1862,  which  was  not  accepted,  and  died  soon  after,  April,  1862, 
in  the  eighty-second  year  of  his  age,  after  a  pastorate  of  lifty- 
four  years.  He  received  his  title  of  D.  D.  from  AVilliams  Col- 
lege in  1860. 

Of  Oliver  Green  nothing  is  known  but  what  is  contained 
in  the  inscription  on  his  tombstone.  It  is  certain,  however, 
that  he  preached  here  before  his  death.  Dying  away  from 
home  and  kindred,  and  when  he  had  hardly  entered  upon  his 
life-work,    he  is  laid  away  among  strangers  near  the  church 

(4) 


50  MINISTERS. 

whose  service  so  soon  cost  liim  his  life.  "  He  graduated  at 
Dartmouth  College,  August  26,  1807;  licensed  by  S.  Wor- 
cester Association ;  died  at  the  house  of  Rob.  Ogden,  August 
24,  1810;  he  was  the  son  of  Oliver  Green,  of  Ashburnham, 
England." 

tfosKPH  L.  Shafee,  S.  T.  D.,  was  born  at  Stillwater,  Sussex 
County,  May  9,  1T87  ;  graduated  at  Princeton  College,  1S08  ; 
licensed  by  Presbytery  of  N'ew  Brunswich,  October  2,  1810; 
was  for  two  years  a  missionary  in  Monmouth  County  ;  ordained 
and  installed  over  Newton  Church,  June  17,  1812 ;  pastor  at 
Middletown  Point,  August  26,  1835-38 ;  received  the  degree 
of  S.  T.  D.  from  Lafayette  College,  1842 ;  pastor  of  I^ewton, 
1838-53  ;  died  JSTovember  12,  1853,  in  the  sixty-seventh  year  of 
his  age.  He  was  struck  with  paralysis  in  the  pulpit  wliile 
reading  the  last  hymn. 

Noah  Crane  was  born  at  Montclair,  N.  J.,  July  14,  1780  ; 
ordained  by  the  "  Associated  Presbytery  of  Mori-is  County," 
November  16,  1803 ;  received  by  the  Presbytery  of  New 
York,  Orange  Dale,  December  16,  1806  ;  pastor  Blooming 
Grove,  Orange  County,  N.  Y.,  1809-11 ;  stated  supply,  Sparta, 
1816-30  (about) ;  moved  to  Newark,  1845  ;  died  SeptenJjer  16, 
1851,  aged  seventy-one. 

Moses  Jewell,  licensed  by  Presbytery  of  Mississippi  with 
two  others  as  ''  extraordinary  cases"  ;  received  as  licentiate  by 
Tombeckbee  Presbytery,  November  11,  1829,  and  dismissed  to 
Newark  Presbytery,  October  22,  1830 ;  stated  supply,  Sparta, 
August,  1830,  to  April,  1832  ;  installed  pastor,  Salem,  Pa., 
September  24,  1833  ;  stated  supply  at  Great  Bend,  Pa.,  1836  ; 
stated  supply  of  2d  Newark,  Tioga  County,  N.  Y.,  1837-8  ; 
stated  supply,  Peruville,  N.  Y.,  April,  1839,  to  September, 
1841 ;  stated  supply,  Enfield,  N.  Y.,  April,  1844,  to  April, 
1845  ;  without  charge,  1851 ;  colporteur,  Washington  and 
Georgetown,  D.  C,  1852-62  ;  without  charge,  Albany,  N.  Y., 
1863  ;  died  1864. 

James  Wyckoff  was  received  under  care  of  the  Presbytery 
of  Newton,  October  7,  1823;  Graduated  at  College  of  New 
Jersey,  1829;  Princeton  Seminary,  1831  (in  middle  year);  li- 
censed by  Presbytery  of  Newton,  October  5,  1831 ;  missionary 
at  Tranquillity,  Stillwater  and  Timber  Swamp  ;  dismissed  Pres- 
bytery Newark,  October  2,  1832;  stated  supply,  Hardyston 
(Sparta),  September,  1832,  to  September,  1835;  accepted  call  to 
Dover,  October,  1835;  installed,  November,  1835;  died  at 
house  of  his  father-in-law,  Rev.  Jos.  Campbell,  Hackettstown 
May,  1838.  Has  a  son  a  minister.  He  was  probably  ordained 
as  an  evangelist  at  the  same  time  that  lie  was  licensed. 


MINISTERS.  51 

Ezra  Fairchild  Dayton  was  born  at  Menclliani,  N.  J.,  June 
6, 1808 ;  graduated  College  of  New  Jersey,  1826  ;  principal  of  an 
academy,  Baskingridge,  I^.  J.,  1826-9 ;  ordained  an  evangelist 
by  Presbytery  Newark,  January  14,  1831 ;  stated  supply  at 
Augusta  (Frankford),  Sussex  County,  N.  J.,  1833-6 ;  stated 
supply,  Sparta,  1837-8 ;  died,  Sparta,  N.  J.,  October  2, 
1838. 

William  Torrey  was  born  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  Wayne  County, 
Pa.,  September  8,  1798  ;  eldest  son  of  "•  Major  "  Jason  Torrey  ; 
graduated,  Hamilton  College,  1823  ;  Andover  Seminary,  1826  ; 
Princeton  Seminary  for  a  few  months,  to  enjoy  better  oppor- 
tunities to  study  tlie  Spanish  language  ;  member  of  tlie  Society 
of  Inquiry,  Andover  Seminary;  missionary  at  Buenos  Ayres 
and  elsewhere  in  South  America,  "  under  the  direction  of  the 
General  Assembly,"  1826-37 ;  without  charge,  Forestburgh, 
Ya.,  1838;  stated  supply,  Sparta,  K  J.,  1839,  to  September, 
1811,  and  December,  1815,  to  April,  1816;  without  charge  at 
Sparta,  IST.  J.,  September,  1811,  to  December,  1815 ;  stated  sup- 
ply, Woodstock,  Ya ,  September,  1816,  to  April,  1855  ;  lived 
on  his  farm,  Rolls  County,  Mo.,  1855-8 ;  died  alone  in  a  grain 
field,  Jnly  1,  1858,  aged  sixty. 

Thomas  Sydenham  Ward  was  born  Bloomiield,  X.  J.,  Octo- 
ber 23, 1811;  graduated  University  of  New  York,  1835  ;  Auburn 
Theological  Seminary,  1835-7 ;  Union  Theological  Seminary, 
1837-8 ;  called  to  Hanover,  August  26,  1839 ;  ordained  and 
installed  pastor,  Hanover,  October  29,  1839 ;  resigned  May  30, 
1811;  without  charge,  Bloomfield,  N.  J., -1813;  stated  supply, 
Sparta,  N.  J.,  December,  1811,  to  December,  1815  ;  without 
charge,  Bloomfield,  N.  J.,  1816-51  ;  pastor,  Carbondale,  Pa., 
1858-61 ;  died,  Carbondale,  Pa.,  February  13.  1861. 

Nathaniel  Edwards  Pierson  was  born  Madison,  N.  J., 
January  7,  1811 ;  graduated  Williams  College  1811  ;  Union 
Theological  Seminary,  1812-1 ;  ordained  (Congregationalist), 
July  11,  1811 ;  stated'  supply,  North  Stamford,  Conn.,  1811-5  ; 
stated  supply,  Sparta,  April,  1816,  to  April,  1850 ;  pastor, 
Unionville  and  Westtown,  N.  Y.,  1850-7  ;  pastor,  Horseheads, 
N.  Y.,  1857-61  ;  chaplain  United  States  army,  1862  ;  pastor, 
Ridgebury,  N.  Y.,  1863-9  j  pastor,  Escanaba, 'Mich.,  1869-72; 
died  quite  suddenly  of  erysipelas,  brought  on  by  a  cut  received 
while  helping  build  the  steeple  of  his  church,  at  Escanaba, 
Mich.,  May  19,  1872,  aged  fifty-eight. 

William  PIull  Megie  was  born  in  New  York  City, 
September  13,  1817 ;  graduated  University  of  New  York,  1839  ; 
Union  Theological  Seminary,  1843-5 ;  ordained,  1850  ;  stated 
supply,    North    Stamford,     Conn.,     1816-9  ;     stated    supply 


52  MINISTERS. 

Williamstowii,  W.  Y.,  1850 ;  stated  supply,  Sparta,  N.  J., 
April,  1851,  to  April,  1852  ;  stated  supply,  West  Milford,  N.  J., 
1852-5  ;  stated  supply,  Junius,  N.  Y.,  1855-6  ;  stated  supply, 
West  Fayette,  N.  Y.,  1866-9  ;  stated  supply,  Newfoundland, 
]^.  J.,  1869-74  ;  stated  supply,  f  aterson,  ISf.  J.,  1875  ;  teacher, 
Jersey  City,  N.  J.,  1876-80 ;  died,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  May  31, 
1880,  aged  sixty-two.  William  Megie  had  two  brothers  in  the 
ministry  :  Daniel  E.  Megie,  born  in  jSTew  York  City,  who  was 
pastor  at  Succasunna,  1840-4  ;  Boonton,  1844-72 ;  emeritus, 
Boonton,  till  his  death.  May  16, 1880.  Burtis  C.  Megie,  pastor 
at  Dover  tliirty-seven  yearp,  at  Pleasant  Grove  eleven  years, 
and  ordained  forty-eight  years. 

Daniel  Higbie  was  born  Long  Island,  N.  Y.,  1816;  left 
Yale  College,  1836,  in  third  year;  entered  Princeton  Seminary, 
1836  ;  ordained,  Presbyteiy  Montrose,  Sej^tember  23,  1840 ; 
stated  supply,  Mount  Pleasant,  Pa.,  1839-42  ;  pastor,  1842-46  ; 
stated  supply, West  Milford,  N.  J.,  1848-51;  stated  supply,  Sparta, 
N.  J.,  April,  1852,  to  April,  1853  ;  pastor,  April,  1853  to 
December,  1855  ;  without  charge,  ISTewark,  N.  J.,  1857-8  ; 
pastor,  Wasliingtonville,  N.  Y.,  1858-67  ;  died,  Spencer  Springs, 
K  Y.,  October  20,  1867,  aged  fifty-one. 

Livingston  Willaed  was  born  Albany,  IST.  Y.,  xA.ugust  7, 
1816  ;  graduated.  Union  College,  1842  ;  graduated  Union  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  1844  ;  licensed,  1844,  by  Third  I^ew  York 
Presbytery ;  ordained,  Classis  of  Albany  (K,  D.  Church), 
December  3,  1844 ;  stated  supply  and  pastor.  Gal  way, 
Saratoga  County,  N.  Y.,  1844-7  ;  pastor,  Peekskill,  ]^.  Y., 
1847-8  ;  stated  supply,  Haverstraw,  N.  Y.,  1849-51  ;  pastor 
(Congregational),  North  Stamford,  Conn.,  1852-6  ;  pastor, 
Sparta,  N.  J.,  1856-60  ;  pastor.  Port  Jervis,  N.  Y.,  1860-1  ; 
istated  supply,  Sparta,  N.  J.,  January,  1862,  to  January,  1863  ; 
pastor,  Marshall,  Mich.,  1863-8 ;  without  charge,  Yonkers, 
N.  Y.,  1868-72  ;  without  chaige,  New  York  City,  1872,  to  the 
present  time  (January,  1887). 

William  Lewis  Moore  was  born  New  York,  March  10, 
1833  ;  graduated,  Rutgers  College,  1854 ;  graduated,  Prince- 
ton Seminary,  1856 ;  ordained.  Presbytery  Luzerne,  July  21, 
1857  ;  pastor,  Wyoming,  Pa.,  1857-8  ;  pastor,  West  Milford, 
N.  J.,  1858-60  ;  stated  supply,  Sparta,  1860-1  ;  New  Bruns- 
wick, 1861-3;  stated  supply,  New  Providence,  1863-64; 
pastor,  1864-70  ;  stated  supply.  Fort  Lee,  1872-3  ;  resided  in 
Jersey  City,  1870  to  the  present  time  (January,  1887).    |^ 

Francis  Eben  Merriam  Bacheler  was  born  at  Douglas, 
Mass.,  July  8,  1818  ;  graduated  from  Brown  University,  1847, 
Union  Theological  Seminary,  1850 ;    licensed  New  York  and 


MINISTERS.  53 

Brooklyn  Association ;  ordained  (Congregationalist),  May  16, 
185-i;  stated  supply  and  pastor,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  1851-7; 
pastor,  Patchoo-ue  (L.  I.),  N.  Y.,  1858-9 ;  stated  supply,  Kil- 
lingly  (Dayville),  Conn.,  1859-62;  withont  charge,  Lebanon, 
Conn.,  1862-3;  pastor,  Sparta,  N.  J.,  1864-70;  s^tated  supply, 
Killingly  (Dayville),  i  onn.,  1871-S;  stated  supply,  Wood- 
stock, Conn.,  1878,  to  the  present  time  (Jannary,  1887). 

Robert  Stoutenburg  Feagles  was  born  in  Amity,  N.  Y., 
December  27,  1831 ;  graduated  from  College  of  New  Jersey, 
1856,  Princeton  Seminary,  1859;  ordained.  Presbytery  Rocka- 
way,  October  23,  1860 ';  pastor,  Mendham,  N.  J.,  1860-9; 
pastor,  Mt.  Olive,  1869-70 ;  stated  supply,  Sparta,  N.  J., 
1870-1;  pastor,  Mt.  Freedom,  1871-8;  stated  supply, 
Morris  Plains,  1878-81 ;  stated  supply,  Lafayette,  Sussex 
County,N.  J.,  June,  1882,  to  June,  1883  ;  stated  supply,  Menc- 
ken, Da.,  1884  ;  without  charge,- 1885  tp  the  present  time  (Janu- 
ary, 1887). 

William  Bergstregser  McKee  was  born  at  Boalsburgh, 
Centre  County,  Pa.,  May  22,  1829  ;  baptized  by  Eev.  W'^m. 
Stuart  same  year ;  admitted  to  communion,  1847 ;  attended 
Boalsburgh  Academy,  1839-40  ;  Mt.  Pleasant  College,  Pa., 
1851-3 ; "  graduated  from  West.  Theological  Seminary, 
1858  ;  licensed  Allegheny  City  Presbytery,  at  Allegheny  City, 
1857 ;  ordained  by  the  same  in  the  same  church  as  home  mis- 
sionary under  appointment  of  the  Home  Mission  Board  (O.  S.) 
to  labor  at  Bayfield  and  Ashland,  Wis.,  and  to  secure  the 
reorganization  of  Lake  Superior  Presbytery,  dissolved  tlie  year 
previous  by  the  death  of  T.  R.  Elder ;  entered  upon  work  at 
Bayfield  and  Ashland,  May  24,  1858  ;  became  pastor  of  Bald 
Eagle  Church,  Pa.,  February  1,  1863  ;  of  Silver  Spring  Church, 
Pa.,  September  20, 1868  ;  of  Sparta  Church,  New  Jersey,  Octo- 
ber 29,  1871  ;  home  missionary  at  Franklin  Furnace,  April 
1,  1876  ;  home  missionary  at  McCune  and  Cherokee,  Kan., 
April  1,  1878 ;  home  missionary,  Arlington,  111.,  January  1, 
1883  ;  home  missionary,  Keithsburgh,  March  1,  1885,  to  the 
present  time  (January,  1887). 

JouN  Smedes  IIanna  was  born  at  Boston,  Mass.,  December 
4,  1834 ;  attended  college  without  graduating ;  graduated 
from  Andover  Seminary  July,  1861 ;  licensed  Lowell  Associa- 
tion ;  ordained  Presbytery  Cleveland,  September  3,  1862  ; 
stated  suppl}",  Richford  (Congregational),  ]^.  Y.,  1863-4 ; 
stated  supply,  Great  Bend  (Pres.),  Pa.,  1864-5  ; 
stated  supply,  Gloucester  City,  N.  Y.,  1866-7  ;  stated  sup- 
ply, Anderson,  Ind.,  1867-8 ;  stated  supply,  Erie  St.  Mis- 
sion,    Chicago,     111.,    1868-9  ;      editor     Masonic     Magazine, 


64  MINISTERS. 

Chiccat^o,  111.,  1869-70 ;  '•  miscellaneous  preaching,"  New 
York  City,  18T0-2;  stated  supply,  Amenia,  N.  Y.,  January, 
18Y2,  to  April,  1873  ;  "  miscellaneous  preaching,"  New  York 
City,  1873-6;  stated  supply,  Sparta,  N.  J.,  November,  1876, 
to  November,  1877 ;  evangelist,  1877  ;  Bald  Mountain,  Pa., 
1878-9  ;  1880-1,  without  charge  ;  teacher,  Chicago,  Ilk,  1882 
to  the  present  time  (January,  1887). 

Thomas  Tyack  was  born  *•'  in  the  South  of  England,  18-18  ; 
converted  at  twelve  years  of  age  ;  came  to  the  United  States  at 
eighteen,  and  joined  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Dover  ;  re- 
turned to  England  and  graduated  from  a  college  combining 
classical  and  theological  studies  in  1873  ;  licensed  in  London, 
February,  1873 ;  returned  to  the  United  States,  July,  1873 ; 
began  a  special  course  of  theological  study  under  my  old  pas- 
tor in  September,  1873 ;  received  as  a  licentiate  under  the  care 
of  Morris  and  Orange  Presbytery  April,  1874 ;  ordained  by 
the  same  body.  May  19,  1876  ;  and  same  day  installed  pastor  of 
Berkshire  Valley  Church ;  began  my  labors  in  Sparta  as  stated 
supply,  April,  1878  ; "  installei;!  May  19,  1880  ;  pastor.  Water 
Gap  January,  1884-6 ;  pastor,  Bethesda  Chapel,  Brooklyn, 
1886  to  the  present  time  (January,  1887). 

Theodore  Frelinghuysen  Chambers  was  born  May  14,  1849, 
at  Raritan,  Somerset  County,  N.  J.;  graduated  from  the  College 
of  City  of  New  York,  1868 ;  graduated  Union  Theolog- 
ical Seminary,  1871 ;  licensed  by  Presbytery  New  York, 
1871 ;  teacher.  New  York  City,  September,  1871,  to  June, 
1872  ;  ordained  and  installed  Ponds  (Reformed  Dutch  Church, 
Oakland),  N.  J.,  October,  1872  ;  pastor.  First  Wantage  (Clove, 
Deckertown),  February,  1876,  to  February,  1883  ;  without  charge, 
February.  1883,  to  January,  1884 ;  pastor,  Sparta,  N.  J.,  January, 
1884,  to  March,  1887  ;  installed,  May  27,  1884— Rev.  Talbot  W. 
Chambers,  of  New  York,  father  of  the  pastor-elect,  preached 
the  sermon ;  Rev.  J.  W.  Coleman  delivered  the  charge  to  the 
pastor  and  Rev.  A.  H.  Young  the  charge  to  the  people ; 
accepted  a  call  to  German  Yalley,  N.  J.,  January  27,  1887,  to 
beg.n  labor  there  April  1,  1887. 

There  were  two  ministers  besides  the  first  pastor  of  the 
Sparta  Church  who  bore  the  name  of  Holloway  Whitfield 
Hunt.  One  was  born  at  Sparta,  1799,  and  preached  at  Pleas- 
ant Grove  Church,  Schooley's  Mountain,  for  thirty-nine  years, 
his  first  and  only  charge.  The  other  was  a  son  of  the  first  H. 
W.  Hunt's  brother.  Garner,  and  was  preaching  at  Centreville, 
N.  Y.,  when  he  died  in  1882.  There  is  a  lawyer  of  the  same 
name  at  Schooley's  Mountain,  a  grandson  of  11.  W.  Hunt,  No.  1, 
and  son  of  H.  W.  Hunt,  No.  2. 


MINISTERS.  55 

Mr.  Pierson  died  while  the  General  Assembly,  of  which  he 
had  been  appointed  a  commissioner,  was  in  session,  and  the 
following  expressions  in  the  resolntions  passed  by  that  body 
attest  the  esteem  in  which  lie  was  held  by  the  denomination  : 
"A  gor>d  and  faithfnl  co-worker,  and  the  chnrcli,  especially  in 
the  West,  is  depriv^ed  of  a  minister  of  large  experience,  eminent 
devotion  and  practical  Christian  wisdom- — who,  having  spent 
more  than  thirty  years  as  a  snccessfnl  pastor  in  the  East,  ever 
loyal  to  his  convictions  of  dnty  and  the  indications  of  Provi- 
dence, went  to  the  far  West,"  &c.  ]\Ir.  Pierson's  remains  were 
bronght  to  Pidgebnry  for  interment,  where  liis  wife  and  two 
children  are  buried.  One  of  his  daughters  married  Pev.  W.  W. 
Page,  a  pastor  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

The  following  letters  will  be  of  interest.  The  originals  are 
in  the  possession  of  Pev.  Mr.  Haines  and  Edmund  Halsey,  Esq., 
of  Pockaway. 

"  To  Mr.  Barnahas  King,  Licentiate  binder  the  care  of  the 
Preshytery  of  New  York — Sir  :  I  am  authorized  by  the  trus- 
tees of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  in  Hardyston,  the  Church 
Session  and  the  congregation  at  large  to  put  into  your  hands  a 
call,  which  I  hereby  do,  to  preach  at  the  meeting-house  in 
Sparta  every  second  Sabbath  for  one  year,  commencing  the 
third  Sabbath  in  October,  instant,  and  for  your  support  they 
have  agreed  to  pay  you,  in  quarterly  ]iayments,  the  sum  of  $50, 
making  $200  for  the  whole  year.  This  call  is  considered  by 
them  as  preparatory  (in  case  it  should  be  agreeable  to  both 
parties)  to  their  giving  you  at  the  end  of  the  year  a  regular  and 
formal  call  to  take  upon  you  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  said 
church. 

"  PoBERT  Ogden,  one  of  the  elders  of  the  said  church." 

"Sparta,  October  6,  i8o6." 

"  MiLTov,  August  7,  i8ii. 

"  Dear  Sir  :  When  last  I  saw  you  I  expected  that  it  would 
have  been  in  my  power  to  have  visited  your  churches  once 
more  during  the  summer,  but  on  account  of  an  appointment  by 
Presbytery  for  one  month  in  the  lower  part  of  the  State,  I  find 
it  out  of  my  power.  The  communications  made  to  me  by  the 
authority  of  your  church  caused  me  iio  little  anxiety  in  my 
mind  in  regard  to  the  conduct  proper  to  be  pursued  by  me. 
I  must  confess,  sir,  that  it  is  indeed  a  trying  thing  to  me  to 
say  no,  when  the  unanimous  voice  of  the  people  calls  me  for 
their  pastor.  I  must  further  say  that  my  inclination,  and  per- 
haps duty,  bid  me  go.  Yet,  sir,  there  is  one  thing  which  I  have 
intimated  to  you  (and  which  doubtless  you  will  admit  is  a  thing 
of  no  small  importance  to  me)  that  seems  to  oppose.     I  mean 


66  MINISTERS. 

the  small  salary  that  you  offer.  The  probability  is,  jiidijiiig 
from  the  exertions  you  have  made,  tliat  even  this  would  not  be 
punctually  paid.  There  has  not  a  single  call  come  before  our 
Presbytery  since  I  have  been  under  its  care  tliat  hath  not  of- 
fered more  than  this. 

"  Gentlemen  of  my  acquaintance  who  have  settled  upon  a 
salary  of  $600  have  told  me  that  they  find  this  barely  sufficient 
for  their  support ;  some  say  it  will  not  do  it.  Notwithstanding 
all  this  (it  is  in  confidence  I  speak),  if  you  will  unite  with  New- 
ton and  present  a  joint  call  with  them,  the  probalulity  is  I  will 
accept  it.  Then  [if]  after  a  trial  of  three  or  even  two  years  it 
appears  that  you  can  pay  $500,  I  will  then  take  a  dismission 
from  New  Brunswick  Presbytery  and  leave  Newton,  taking 
charge  solely  of  your  congregation.  More  than  this  you  ought 
not  reasonaljly  to  expect.  I  expect,  even  should  this  be  the 
case,  to  be  under  the  necessity  of  merely  living  from  hand  to 
mouth,  but  if  by  this  the  Redeemer's  Kingdom  should  be 
advanced  I  should  feel  myself  richly  compensated.  Tlie  event 
I  leave  with  an  all-wise  Providence. 

"  This  week,  God  permitting,  I  am  to  leave  home,  and  do  not 
expect  to  return  until  the  last  of  September.  What  you  do  I 
wish  done  by  the  time  Presbytery  meets  at  Newton,  first  Tues- 
day of  October. 

"  From  your  humble  servant, 

"  Jos.  L.  Shafer." 

"Rob.  Ogden,  Esq., 

"  Sparta,  Sussex  County."' 

Students  for  the  Ministry. 

Only  one  person  has  as  yet  entered  the  ministry  from  this 
church — viz..  Rev.  Z.  N.  Bradbury.  He  says  :  *'  From  the  age 
of  about  eight  years  until  I  left  my  native  village,  I  was  a 
member  of  the  Presbvterian  Sabbath  school,  and  a  regular  at- 
tendant upon  the  Sabbath  services  there.  My  mother  was  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  to  please  her 
I  united  with  that  church.  When  I  left  home  to  enter  upon 
my  preparatory  course  of  study,  I  united  with  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Bloomfield,  N.  J.  My  early  religious  training  was 
received  in  the  Presbyterian  Sabbath  school  under  the  instruc- 
tions of  my  teacher,  Mr.  Burnham,  and  pastors  Torrey  and 
Pierson.  I  was  converted  in  the  winter  of  1843,  when  only 
thirteen  years  old." 

Elder  Fokd  W.  Rochelle  is  still  a  student  for  the  ministry 
in  the  middle  year  at  Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  having 
graduated  fi-om  Princeton  College,    1884.     He   was   born    in 


MINISTKKS.  57 

Sparta,  IST.  J. ;  was  converted  under  the  ministry  of  Kev.  W. 
B.  McKee,  and  united  with  the  church  and  decided  to  devote 
himself  to  the  ministry  under  the  intiuence  of  Hev.  J.  S. 
Hanna,  July  1,  187T. 

ZiBA  Nichols  Bradbury,  who  really  entered  the  ministry 
from  this  church,  although  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  was  born  near  Sparta,  March  24,  1830  ;  prepared 
for  colle2:e  at  Bloomiield,  N.  J. ;  graduated  from  Yale  College, 
1859  ;  from  the  Union  Theological  Seminary,  IST.  Y.,  18f>2  ; 
licensed  by  the  Chemung  Presbytery,  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  January 
28,  1862 ;  ordained  by  Presbytery  Steuben,  Howard,  N.  Y., 
January  14,  1863  ;  stated  supply,  Howard,  N.  Y.,  1862-6  ; 
stated  supply,  Pulteney,  N.  Y.,  1867-72 ;  pastor,  Howard, 
K  Y.,  1872-6  ;  installed  pastor,  Pulteney,  N.  Y.,  July,  1876, 
where  he  is  still  laboring. 

The  following  interesting  reminisceijce  is  from  one  who 
"  used  to  play  on  that  village  green  and  taught  school  in  the 
schoolhouse  "  many  years  ago.  She  says  :  '"  Don't  I  remem- 
ber that  old  church  Avith  its  high,  straight-backed  pews,  and 
how  I  used  to  play  with  the  button  on  the  doors  at  each  end, 
when  I  could  not  see  over  them,  and  get  my  ears  snapped  for 
it,  too  ;  and  the  high,  winding  stairs  to  the  old  box-pulpit  with 
a  sounding-board  overhead,  very  much  like  a  big  umbrella  to 
an  express  wagon  nowadays  !  And  how  it  would  shake  when 
the  Bible  was  pounded  in  the  days  of  the  Rev.  Noah  Crane  !  I 
always  had  him  associated  with  Noah's  Ark,  because  of  his  age 
and  venerable  appearance  and  name.  He  had  '  his  hearers  all 
under  conviction,'  he  used  to  say,  when  he  lived  in  Newark 
and  preached  to  the  '  spirits  in  prison '  (the  penitentiary). 
After  Mr.  Crane  [came]  Mr.  Wyckoff.  He  used  to  have  the 
children  come  to  his  house  Saturday  afternoon,  and  [to]  hold 
a  meeting  with  them.  The  tirst  time  I  went,  he  read  about 
Josiah  and  talked  about  him.  '  He  began  to  serve  the  Lord 
when  he  was  eight  years  old.'  That  was  the  beginning  of  my 
religious  impre.-sions.  I  think  I  was  between  eight  and  nine, 
then,  and  I  thought  going  home,  well,  I  am  as  old  as  he  was, 
how  can  I  serve  the  Lord  ?  And  from  that  time  I  was  the 
subject  of  very  deep  impressions.  And  I  believe  in  the  early 
conversion  of  children,  and  Spurgeon  advocates  early  conver- 
sions. Dear,  good  Mr.  Dayton  lies  back  of  the  church.  I  stood 
beside  the  open  grave  as  he  was  lowered,  and  the  choir  sang  : 

'  Unveil  thy  bosom,  faithful  tomb  ; 
'  Take  this  new  treasure  to  thy  trust. 


man 


"  I  think  Mr.  Torrey  came  next,  and  I  have  never  loved  any 
m  in  the  ministry  as  I  did  Father  Torrev." 


III.— THE    ELDERS. 

Jonathan  Sutton,  died  February  2, 1818  ;  Robert  Ogden,  died 
February  14,  1826 ;  Jonatlum  Sharp,  joined  the  Baptists,  Janu- 
ary 31,  1819  ;  Nichohis  Byram,  ordained  April  8,  1809,  died 
March  15,  1819  ;  William  Corwin,  Jr.,  ordained  September  27, 
1812,  died  September  30,  1821 ;  John  Linn,  ordained  Septem- 
ber 27,  1812,  dismissed  May  14,  1819 ;  Johnson  N.  Gould,  or- 
dained November  8,  1818,  dismissed  May  14,  1819;  George 
Buckley,  ordained  March  28,  1819,  dismissed  May  14,  1819 ; 
Samuel  Johnson,  ordained  April  11,  1819,  died  October  1, 1822  ; 
Elijah  Curtis,  ordained  January  4,  1824,  dismissed  to  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  December  30,  1830 ;  Elias  Beach,  ordained 
July  17,  1826,  dismissed  May  25,  1849 ;  James  Braisted,  or- 
dained November  9,  1828,  dismissed  May  29,  1850 ;  Matthias 
H.  Ogden,  ordained  November  9,  1828,  dismissed  November, 
1832  ;  Dan.  P.  Lanterman,  ordained  November  9,  1828,  dis- 
missed February  18,  1846  ;  John  Lennington,  ordained  October 
30, 1831,  died  August  1, 1879  ;  David  Cory,  ordained  October  30, 
1831,  died  October  14,  1870  ;  Henry  C.  Beach,  ordained  Octo- 
ber 30,  1831,  dismissed  March  19, 1847  ;  Henry  Beach,  ordained 
July  15, 1844,  dismissed  April  24, 1848  ;  Sering  AVade,  ordained 
July  15,  1844,  dismissed  1853  ;  Zophar  Halsey,  ordained  Feb- 
ruary 12,  1854,  died  April  12,  1872 ;  Job  Cory,  ordained  Feb- 
ruary 12,  1854  ;  Moses  Lanterman,  ordained  February  12,  1854, 
died  November  4,  1878  ;  Morris  Wade,  ordained  February  12, 
1854,  dismissed  1860  ;  Levi  Congleton,  ordained  June  1,  1873, 
died  November  26,  1879  ;  Harvey  B.  Strait,  ordained  June  1, 
1873,  resigned  1876  ;  Frank  C.  Easton,  ordained  June  1,  1873, 
dismissed  January,  1887  ;  William  Ridc'ell,  ordained  April  11, 
1880  ;  Ford  W.  Rochelle,  ordained  April  11,  1880  ;  J.  Byram 
Hoppaugh,  ordained  April  10,  1883. 

Without  the  active  co-operation  of  the  eldership,  no  pastor 
can  accomplish  much.  To  these  worthy  men  is  therefore  due, 
under  God,  a  large  part  of  the  credit  of  bringing  the  church 
safely  tlirough  troublous  times,  and  handing  down  to  us  unim- 
paired the  heritage  they  received  from  the  fathers.  Of  those 
who  have  died,  the  most  eminent  in  public  life  were  Robert 
Ogden,  of  whom  a  full  account  is  given  elsewhere,  and  John 
Linn.  The  latter  "  was  of  Irish  descent,  and  born  in  Hard- 
wick  Township.     He  was  appointed  Judge  of  the  Common 


THE    ELDERS.  59 

Pleas  ill  1805,  and  reappointed  1810, 1815  and  1820.  He  repre- 
sented the  Fourth  District  of  Kew  Jersey  in  Congress  for  two 
terms,  and  while  there,  in  the  winter  of  1832,  he  "was  taken  ill 
and  died  of  typhoid  fever."  His  body  was  brought  from 
Washington  all  the  way  in  a  sled,  and  buried  at  the  North 
Church.  Jolin  Lennington,  Esq.,  was  an  elder  for  the  longest 
term  of  service,  forty-eight  years.  He  was  one  of  the  most  in- 
fluential men  of  the  community.  Plaving  obtained  a  good 
education  in  early  life,  he  also  possessed  a  native  vigor  of  mind 
that  made  him  a  wise  councillor,  and  an  efficient  administrator 
of  any  office  he  might  be  chosen  to  fill.  His  loss  was  deeply 
felt  on  his  death,  18Y9,  in  the  eighty-ninth  year  of  his  age,  after  a 
long  and  painful  illness.  Of  those  still  in  active  service.  Job 
Cory  has  been  an  elder  for  the  period  of  thirty-two  years,  and 
is  still  in  unimpaired  vigor  of  health  and  strength,  and  render- 
ing most  efficient  service.  F.  W.  Rochelle  is  the  youngest,  and 
has  been  for  two  years  a  student  for  the  ministry  in  Princeton 
Seminary. 


lY.— TRUSTEES. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  those  who  have  been  elected 
trustees  for  one  or  more  terms. 

The  date  is  the  time  of  first  election  or  of  first  mention  in 
the  records.  These  are  so  defective  that  this  list  is  only 
approximately  correct. 

1786. — Robert  Ogden,  Esq.,  Christopher  Hoagland,  Charles 
Beardslee,  Christopher  Longstreet,  Japhet  Byram,  Robert 
Ogden,  Jr.,  Esq.,  Thomas  Yan  Kirk. 

The  above  Avere  the  trustees  when  the  clinrch  was  incorpo- 
rated. There  are  no  lists  of  trustees  until  1831,  when  the 
following  names  appear : 

1831. — Jas.  Braisted,  Elias  Beach,  Hartman  Kimble,  Henry 
C.  Beach,  Nicholas  Byram ;  1832,  Peter  Yan  Kirk,  James 
S.  Morrow,  Henry  C.  Beach,  Isaac  Hurd,  W.  B.  Ayres, 
Chas.  Ackerson, .  David  Cory  ;  1833,  John  Lennington,  Levi 
Congleton  ;  1836,  D.  M.  Sayre,  Pierson  Hurd,  Abm.  Winter- 
mute ;  1838,  Robt.  Braisted,  Whitefield  H.  Hurd,  Zophar 
Halsey. 

1840.— Henry  C.  Crane,  Jas.  Yan  Kirk  ;  1842,  Jabez  T. 
Johnson  ;  1843,  John  Boss,  John  R.  Stuart ;  1844,  Thomas 
Dustan,  J.  B.  Easton,  H.  Warren  Ogden  ;  1846,  Morris  Wade, 
Sam.  W.  Cory  ;  1853,  John  L.  Goble^  Aaron  H.  Kelsey  ;  1864, 
Sidney  Smith,  J.  H.  Shuman,  Wm.  II.  Maines ;  1857,  J.  L. 
Munson,  John  George  ;  1869,  Hiram  M.  Sands  ;  1868,  B.  Brad- 
bury ;  1874,  H.  B.  Strait ;  1860,  J.  P.  Hoppaugh,  Dan.  S.  Maines ; 
1863,  J.  Havens,  H.  II.  Moore,  G.  B.  Craig,  Calvin  Beattie. 
John  Decker  ;  1866,  M.  L.  Beardslee,  J.  B.  Boss,  Wm.  Riddle, 
T.  H.  Andress;  1867,  C.  Y.  Boss,  F.  C.  Easton;  1876,  Levi 
Congleton,  Stephen  Rochelle,  Henry  Folk,  Stewart  Welch, 
Jos.  M.  Dunlap,  J.  B.  Easton;  1878,  Manning  Dunlap ;  1879, 
James  Shafer ;  1880,  Frank  House ;  1882,  Chas.  Halsey, 
S.  B.  Stanaback,  F.  W.  Rochelle;  1883,  David  Kinney,  Levi 
Case ;  1885,  J.  H.  Sutton  ;  1886,  David  Byram,  Theodore 
Anderson. 

In  two  cases  the  action  of  the  trustees  is  worthy  of  mention  : 
In  July,  1837,  it  was  proposed  to  defer  the  contemplated 
repairing  of  the  church  on  account  of  the  severe  stringency  in 
money  matters  prevalent  throughout  the  country.  This  oc- 
casioned the  following  spirited  resolution  : 

"  Resolved,  That  the  '  earth  is  the  Lord's  and  the  fullness 


TRUSTEES.  61 

thereof ; '  that  the  cause  in  which  we  are  engaged  is  the 
Lord's,  and  that  good  causes  are  most  commonl}^  triumphant, 
and  that  we  persevere  in  the  work  and  trust  the  event  to 
Providence." 

The  other  is  on  occasion  of  the  deatli  of  Eev.  E.  F.  Dayton, 
when  the  trustees  took  charge  of  the  funeral  ceremonies,  fur- 
nished a  burial  plot  and  defrayed  the  expenses  of  the  interment 
and  of  a  tombstone.  The  resolutions  passed  by  them  at  the 
time  may  be  found  below.  It  is  also  to  be  noted  that  the 
method  of  raising  money  by  renting  the  pews  was  adopted  for 
a  time  (1858),  but  with  what  success  is  not  stated.  At  one 
time  the  envelope  plan  was  adopted,  but  this  excellent  method 
seems  also  to  have  died  a  natural  death. 

"  W/iereas,  Our  dearly  beloved  pastor,  Rev.  Ezra  F.  Dayton, 
after  a  long  and  painful  sickness,  which  he  endured  with  Chris- 
tian resignation,  has  been  folded  in  the  cold  embrace  of  death, 
which  mournful  event  has  pervaded  our  village  with  gloom ; 
and, 

"  Whereas,  In  his  demise  the  congregation  has  sustained  an 
irreparable  loss,  inasmuch  as  he  possessec  a  mind  of  the_  high- 
est order,  and  was  endowed  with  rare  virtues  and  inestimable 
qualities,  being  eminently  fitted  for  the  high  office  of  a 
preacher  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  and  that  he  was  the  zealous 
laborer,  the  meek  Christian  and  the  truly  kind  and  amiable 
husband.      Therefore, 

'^  Resolved,  That  in  paying  a  tribute  of  respect,  and  ex- 
pressing a  sense  of  profound  regard  for  the  deceased,  we  ask 
as  a  favor  of  the  near  relations  that  his  body  may  be  interred 
in  our  village  burial  ground,  and  that  proper  persons  be 
appointed  to  make  the  necessary  arrangements  for  the  funeral, 

&c.,  &c." 

The  Chukoh  Edifice. 

The  present  building  has  the  same  frame  as  the  first,  with 
the  addition  of  a  vestibule.  So  large  and  massive  are  the  tim- 
bers that  they  promise  to  last  another  hundred  years  to 
come.  The  old  church  had  three  doors,  one  on  each  side  as 
well  as  in  the  front.  The  seats  were  at  first  only  hewn  logs 
awkwardly  supported.  The  galleries  and  the  steeple  were 
added  about  1804  or  1805.  The  enclosed  seats  afterward  put 
in  were  made  with  the  straightest  possible  backs,  and  so  high 
that  small  children  could  not  see  over  tliem.  The  pulpit  was 
of  the  old  style,  high  up  and  overshadowed  with  the  inevitable 
sounding-board.  The  church  was  until  later  years  entirely 
unheated.     The  more  luxurious  people  carried  foot-stoves  to 


62  TRUSTEES. 

cliurch,  and  the  rest  probably  became  accustomed  to  sitting  in 
the  cold.  At  all  events,  no  minister  of  that  early  date  would 
have  been  guilty  of  preaching  a  short  sermon,  whatever  the 
temperature  might  be.  Episcojjal  ministers  even  preached  an 
hour  and  a  half  (as,  for  example,  Uzal  Ogden,  of  Newton).  To 
withhold  any  subdivision  of  a  theme,  however  minute,  or  any 
reference,  however  remote,  would  have  seemed  like  trifling 
with  the  word  of  God  both  to  preacher  and  hearer.  After  the 
repairs  on  the  church  were  finished  in  1838,  it  was  dedicated 
February  15,  and  Mr.  Fairchild  preached  the  sermon,  Rev.  Mr. 
Allen  also  being  present. 

The  trustees  at  some  time  before  1805  appear  to  have  insti- 
tuted suits  before  Justice  Thomas  Lawrence  against  seven 
parties  for  various  amounts  from  $(3.62  up  to  $26.68.  In  three 
of  these  judgment  is  entered  by  default ;  in  one  judgment  is 
entered  ;  in  two  the  action  is  dismissed,  and  in  one  withdrawn. 
Elias  Ogden  and  Joseph  Hurd  (of  Hurdtown)  are  assignees  of 
the  trustees  for  the  purposes  of  the  trial.  These  actions  may 
have  been  for  the  recovery  of  subscriptions  for  the  building  of 
the  steeple  and  galleries,  which  were  being  built  about  180-1. 
They  show  the  difficulty  experienced  then  in  raising  money 
even  when  it  was  subscribed. 

The  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Hardyston  was  repaired  in 
1837  and  1869.  The  following  are  the  subscriptions  on  both 
occasions : 

December,  1837. 

Clergyman — Hev.  E.  F.  Davton. 

Trustees — ^D.  Cory,  H.  C.  Beach,  D.  M.  Sayre,  treasurer ; 
P.  Hurd,  secretary ;  P.  Van  Kirk,  Wm.  Ayres,  A.  Wintermute. 

Building  Committee — D.  Cory,  D.  M.  ISayre,  H.  C.  Beach, 
P.  Van  Kirk. 

Contraotor — Pierson  Hurd. 

Chief  Carpenter — -Thomas  Kirkpatrick. 

Assistant  Carpenters — T.  Beardslee,  S.  Wright,  A.  McDavit, 
M.  Thorp,  J.  Clark. 

Chief  Mason — C.  Hurd. 

Expense  of  repairs,  $1200. 

SUBSCEIPTIONS  : 

D.Cory $ioo.oo  P.  Van  Kirk $25.00 

P.  Hurd 100.00  H.  C.  Beach 25  oc 

E.  Pierson 50.CO  Wm.  B.  Ayres 25.00 

J.  Bedell 50.00  AV.  H.  Hurd 25.00 

J.  Breasted 50.00  N.   Hurd 25.00 

S.  Wade 50.00  J.  Lennington 25. co 

D.  M.  Sayre 25.00  M.Morrow 25.00 


TKUSTEES. 


63 


(Subscriptions  confi)iued.) 


H. 
M. 

N. 
E. 
L. 
C. 

D. 

L. 

J. 

K. 

J. 

D. 

M. 

H. 

T. 

A. 

T. 

J. 

J. 

J. 

R. 

J. 

M. 

J. 

S. 

J. 

M. 


Kelsey $25.00 

William 25  00 

Crane 2500 

Beach 25.00 

Thurman 25  00 

Ackerson 25.00 

Ayres 25.00 

P.  Lanterraan 20.00 

Davitr.,  Jr 20.00 

Hurd 20.00 

R.  Morris 20.00 

Goble 20,00 

Roe 20.00 

Corwin 15.00 

Beardslee 15.00 

Hurd 15.00 

Wintermute 10  00 

Halsey 10.00 

Decker 10.00 

Coursen 1000 

Campbell   10  00 

Breasted 8,00 

Pierson,  Sr 500 

Woodruff 5-00 

Durhng 5-00 

M.  Gill 500 

Morrow 500 

Pitney 5.00 

Total 


P.   Stiles 

J.  Cumminp;s. .  . 

T.  McDavit 

T.  Diistin 

H.  Osborne 

A.   Chidester. . . 

H.  Clark 

J .  Van  Kirk. .  . . 
T.  B.  Beardslee. 

N.  Byram 

J.  Kelsey 

J.  Ross 

M.  L   Cox 

J.  Aber 

W.  Lanterman . 

S.  Woodruff 

C.  Hurd 

J.    Stiles 

H.  Pulas 

W.  Pulas.* 


$5-Oo 

5.00 

S-C'O 

500 

5.00 

500 

5.00 

5 .  00 

5.00 

500 

5.00 

500 

5  00 

5  00 

5  00 

5.00 

5.00 

5.00 

500 

500 

C.  Durling 5.00 

S.    Durling 5.00 

G.  Beatty 5.00 

E.    Pierson 3  00 

J.  Wbiteford 3.00 

A.  S.    Lawrence 3. 00 

A.  Sherman 4.00 


.$1156.00 


December,  1869. 

Clergyman — Eev.  F.  E.  M.  Bacheler. 

Trustees — Job  Cory,  president;  Zophar  Halsey,  M.  L. 
Beardslee,  Benj.  Bradbiuy,  Clias.  Y.  Ross,  William  Riddell, 
Hiram  M.  Sands,  secretary  and  treasnrer. 

Building  Committee — Benj.  Bradbury,  Zophar  Halsey, 
Chas.  V.  Boss. 

Chief  of  Repairs — M.  L.  Beardslee. 

Chief  Carpenter — Benj.  Sutton. 

Chief  J/«S6»?i— Patrick  Quinn. 

Assistant  Carpenters— Z .  H.  Shuraan,  C.  McCormack. 

SUBSCRIPTIONS  : 


Zrphar  Halsey $250.00 

Job  Cory 200. 00 

H.  B.  Strait 200.00 

Wm.  A.  Wood 200.00 

M.  L.  Beardslee 100  00 

Jas.  B.  Titman 50.00 

W.  H.  Hurd 50  GO 

Henry  Folk 50.00 

T.  H.  Andress ico.oo 

Maj.  John  Boss 50.00 


Mrs.  Dav.  Cory 50.00 

Mills  Van  Kirk 40.00 

Benj.  Bradbury 25.00 

Wm.  Earles 25.00 

Mary  Brasted 25.00 

Moses  Lanterman 25.00 

Rob.    Mabee 25.00 

John  A.  Potter 30  00 

Dan.  S.  Maines 25  00 

Jas.  Van  Kirk 25.00 


64  TRUSTEES. 

(Subscriptions  continued.) 

C.  V.  Boss $20.00  JohQ  B.  Titman ...  $10.00 

Eev.  F.  E.  M.  Bacheler 20.00  D.  F.  Lyon 10  00 

H.  H.   Moore 20  00  James  L.  Munson 10.00 

Isaac  Goble,  Jr 20.00  Hiram  C.  Freeman 10.00 

Wm.  H.   Maines 20  00  Mary  Pullis ...  10.00 

J.  Lennington 25.00  Mahlon  Goble ro.oo 

Cbas.  Durling 20  00  Mrs.  Sidney  Smith 10.00 

J.  H.  Shuman 20.00  F.  C.  Easton 10.00 

J.  W.  Longcor 20.00  Levi  Congleton ....  10.00 

Henry  Hammell 20.00  John  Kays lo.oo 

J.  B    Boss 20.00  James  B.    Stanaback 10.00 

Jas.  L.  Decker 20.00  Isaac  Osborne 5.00 

Eob.  P.   Washer 20.00  S   E.  Condit 5.00 

Philip  Sinney 20.00  Chas.  Halsey 5  00 

John  Decker 15. 00  Sam.  Hammell 5.00 

Wm.  P.  Smith 12.00  Abraham  Chapin 5.00 

Henry  Dunlap  (work) 14  00  Esther  Morrison 5.00 

Hiram  M.  Sands 10.00  Jane  Dus tan 5.00 

John  F.  Wood 10.00  Martha  Francisco 5.00 

Rob.  K.  Adams 10.00  Mrs.  Rob.  Mills 2.00 

Martha  Osborn    10  00  Mary  Chidester i.oo 

Abraham  Wintermute to. 00                                                                


Total $2074.00 

John  George,  Esq.,  gave  $50  toward  putting  in  a  recess,  and 
furnished  and  fitted  the  pulpit.  The  cost  of  repairing  the 
church  in  1869  came  to  nearly  double  the  amount  of  the  sub- 
scription— viz.,  $4000,  and  in  January,  1870,  the  trustees  bor- 
rowed $2000  of  John  George.  Other  indebtedness  was  added, 
and  the  church  became  seriously  embarrassed.  But  Mrs.  David 
Cory  by  successive  payments  contributed  in  all  about  $2000 
toward  the  debt,  and  $1000  was  provided  for  by  a  special  sub- 
scription, dated  JSTovember,  1875.  When  the  church  was  last 
repaired,  in  1869,  a  small  matter  of  disagreement  in  regard  to 
furnishing  it  became  greatly  exaggerated,  and  intense  bitterness 
of  feeling  arose.  This  led  to  yery  serious  impropriety  of  be 
havior,  which  did  an  injury  to  the  church,  from  which  it  still 
continues  to  a  certain  extent  to  suffer. 

Choristers. 

Major  John  Boss,  Elias  Beach,  Whiteheld  Ilurd  and  F.  C. 
Easton.  Mrs.  Whiteiield-IIurd  and  Dr.  Madison  played  the  organ. 
The  accompaniment  to  the  singing  .was  at  lirst  on  stringed  in- 
struments, and  at  the  present  time  Mr.  W.  Hurd  still  lends  the 
aid  of  his  flute  to  the  music  of  our  choir.  The  first  musical 
instrument,  a  melodeon,  was  procured  in  1856,  and  used  on  the 
first  Sabbath  Mr.  Willard  preached— viz.,  May  18.  Mrs.  White- 
field  Hurd  was  the  player.  A  second  instrument,  a  cabinet 
organ,  was  purchased  in  1866  with  the  proceeds  of  the  Loan 


TEUSTEES.  65 

Exhibition,  and  first  nsed  October  14.  Mrs.  Fanny  C.  Boss 
played  in  the  morning,  and  Mrs.  W.  H.  Hurd  in  tlie  evening. 
In  1879  the  present  instrnment  was  bought  at  a  cost  of  $25l). 
The  first  bell  was  pnt  in  the  steeple  Jnne  29,  1839.  A  piece 
was  broken  out  of  it  on  July  4,  1850,  and  a  new  one  was  put  in 
its  place  November  9,  1850.  The  first  weighed  550  pounds, 
the  second  25  pounds  less.     (Mr.  W.  H.  Ilurd's  Diary.) 

(5) 


Y.  -OGDENSBUEGII. 

This  village  received  its  name  from  the  Ogdens.  It  is  said 
to  have  been  once  called  Sodom.  As  late  as  1848,  there  were 
but  five  houses  in  the  place — one  near  where  George's  Hotel 
is ;  another  a  schoolhouse  across  the  way ;  a  third  where 
McEntee  lives ;  a  fourth  on  the  site  of  John  George's  resi- 
dence, occupied  by  Rohrick  ;  a  fifth  near  the  railroad,  occupied 
by  Johnson.  At  the  above  date  the  Ne^v  Jersey  Zinc  Com- 
pany began  active  operations  and  houses  began  to  be  erected. 
John  George  became  superintendent  in  1 853,  and  opened  the 
first  store  in  the  village.  A  store  had  been  kept  by  the  Lanter- 
mans  since  1821,  just  south  of  the  village.  On  the  comple- 
tion of  the  old  New  Jersey  Midland  Raih-oad  in  1872,  the  first 
tavern  was  opened.  A  post-ofiice  had  been  established  since 
1853,  and  a  mail  route  opened  to  Newton.  The  office  was  once 
kept  bv  John  M.  Greycen,  in  the  present  dwelling  of  William 
Chandler.  The  postmasters  have  been  Henry  Perry,  J.  M. 
Greycen,  John  George,  Reuben  Stidworthy  and  P.  Dolan. 

John  George  was  born  in  Cornwall,  England,  in  1824 ;  came 
to  the  United  States  1846;  spent  two  years  (1851-53)  in  the 
city  of  New  York  ;  came  to  Ogdensburgh  in  1853,  as  superinten- 
dent ;  remained  superintendent  until  1880  ;  since  that  date  has 
been  mining  expert  with  an  office  in  New^  York.  He  is  am  an  of 
great  executive  capacity,  and  has  always  been  a  liberal  friend 
of  the  church  and  its  ministers. 

The  first  physician  of  Ogdensburgh  was  Dr.  Rogers.  He 
was  followed  in  1874  by  Dr.  Condit,  and  lie  by  Dr.  Emerson 
Potter.  Dr.  William  Henry  Douglas?  the  physician  there  at 
the  present  time,  was  born  in  the  City  of  New  York,  May  15th, 
1856  ;  graduated  from  the  Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College 
March  1st,  1878;  resided  in  New  York  until  1882.  He  is 
highly  appreciated  for  his  sympathetic  and  kindly  disposition, 
as  well  as  for  his  unusual  skill  in  his  profession. 

Religious  Services. — Religious  services  have  been  held  at 
Oo-densburgh  ever  since  the  time  of  Noah  Crane.  Robert 
Ogden  in  his  diary  speaks  of  paying  Daniel  Lanterman  $1  for 
the  Sunday  school  at  Ogdensburgh  July  7,  1825.  Preaching  was 
at  first  every  two  or  four  weeks.  But  since  the  church  was  built 
in  1882  there  has  been  preaching  every  Sabbath  by  both  Presby- 
terians and  Methodists.     The  land  and  $500  were  given  at  that 


OGDENSBURGH.  67 

time  for  a  clinrcli  bv  John  CTeorae.  Tliiscnco  ira'  el  the  people 
of  the  village  to  prosecute  the  work,  and  as  a  result  a  very  com- 
plete and  commodious  building  was  erected  (with  $500  help 
from  the  Board  of  Church  Erection)  and  dedicated  free  of  debt. 

The  trustees  of  the  church  have  l)een  the  following :  John  D, 
Lanterman,  Sam.  R.  George,  William  Riddle,  James  Stidworthy, 
Abijah  Holden  and  J.  B.  Hoppaugh.  Elder  Wm.  Riddle  was  for 
many  years  superintendent  of  the  Sabbath  school.  The  present 
superintendent  is  John  Chandler,  the  principal  of  the  Academy. 
Elder  Riddle  has  also  freely  assumed  the  care  of  warming  and 
lighting  the  church.  Elder  J.  B.  Hoppaugh  has  given  time 
and  labor  without  stint  to  the  onerous  duties  of  the  treasurer- 
ship.  The  music  has  had  the  advantage  of  being  under  the 
patient  and  skillful  direction  of  Mrs.  Inez  George.  The  ladies 
of  the  place  deserve  great  praise  for  their  persistent  and  suc- 
cessful effort  to  complete  the  furnishing  of  the  church.  This 
church  is  now  and  ahvays  has  been  at  the  service  of  people  of 
all  denominations  for  funerals  and  all  proper  religious  services. 

At  Ogdensburgh,  instruction  was  given  as  early  as  1806  in  a 
li'tle  log  cabin  that  stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  schoolhouse. 
The  land  had  been  given  by  Roljerr  Ogden.  The  lirst  teaciier 
was  Ephi'aim  Woodruff',  a  revolutionary  hero.  He  lived  in  a 
log  cabin  beside  the  schoolhouse.  In  1834,  a  fratned  buildino- 
was  erected  in  which  Elizabeth  Youngs,  Rebecca  Decker  and 
others  taught.  The  third  house  was  built  in  1 856,  and  the 
fourth,  the  present  one,  in  1872.  This  latter  is  a  brick  building 
of  two  stories  and  cost  $7500.  There  are  three  departments  in 
this  school,  taught  at  present  by  John  Chandler,  Mrs.  M.  L,  Lyon 
and  Ella  Current.  Other  of  the  later  leachers  have  been  J.  P. 
Dolan,  B.  D.  Potter,  Elsie  Hill  and  Martha  L.  Maxwell.  Mr". 
Chandler  was  born  at  Bethlehem,  Hunterdon  County,  N.  J.- 
was  educated  at  Belvidere  and  at  Easton  in  Lafayette '  College, 
was  in  the  army  three  years  in  the  2d  New  Jersey  Cavalry  ;  in 
business  at  Frenchtown  two  years,  and  has  been  teaching  since 
that  time. 

The  business  men  of  Ogdensburgh  have  been  the  following : 
Hotel  proprietors :  John  I).  Lanterman,  Adams,  David  F.  Lyon, 
Jacob  Wise  and  Ed.  George  in  the  George's  Hotel ;  and  Jacob 
Struble,  Michael  Mackerly,  Jos.  Brooks,  John  Bryant,  John  R. 
Booth  and  Walter  Ousted,  in  the  Ousted  House."  Mr.  Onsted 
came  to  Ogdensburgh  from  ISTewton.  Mr.  Edward  George 
was  born  in  Ogdensburgh,  and  was  Superintendent  of  Mining 
before  entering  into  the  hotel  business. 

Dolan's  store  was  lirst  kept  by  David  McCarty.  It  was  once 
a  schoolhouse.     Patrick  J .  Dolan,  the  present  proprietor,   was 


68  OGDENSBURGH. 

f 

born  at  Franklin,  N.  J.,  went  to  school  there,  and  by  close  at- 
tention to  study  obtained  a  good  education,  tanght  i-chool,  and 
at  one  time  was  principal  of  the  Academy  at  Ogdensbnrgh, 
He  tanght  from  1882-83;  formed  a  copartnership  with  David 
McCarty,  June,  1879  ;  sold  out  to  his  partner  in  June,  1882 ; 
bonghthira  out  in  January,  1883,  and  has  been  keeping  the 
same  store  since  that  time.  He  is  also  the  present  postmaster. 
Madden's  store  was  built  and  first  kept  by  John  D.  Lanter- 
man  and  Ben.  Kays,  then  by  John,  William  and  Peter  Lanter- 
man ;  it  was  then  sold  to  Thomas  O'Maley  and  afterward  to 
Patrick  Madden,  who  is  the  present  proprietor. 

Mr.  Madden  was  born  in  Ireland  ;  his  father  and  family  cajne 
to  America  when  he  was  very  young,  and  settled  in  Andover, 
Sussex  County.  His  opportunities  for  acquiring  an  education 
were  very  limited.  He  went  to  California,  and  remained  th^re 
eight  and  a  half  years.  He  spent  his  evenings  while  thei'e  in 
studying  with  a  friend  who  had  been  a  school  teacher,  and  thns 
made  up  for  the  want  of  early  advantages.  He  has  been  in 
business  in  O.  since  1873. 

Mr.  James  Thorpe,  one  of  the  oldest  residents  of  the  place, 
keeps  a  confectionery  store. 

James  Stidworthy,  the  blacksmith,  learned  his  trade  with" 
K.  R.  Smith,  of  Sparta,  and  built  and  opened  a  shop  in  Ogdens- 
burgh  in  1875.  He  is  the  son  of  Thomas  Stid  worthy,  and  came 
to  this  country,  when  a  babe,  with  his  father  from  Plymouth, 
England.  His  brother  Reuben,  the  former  postmaster,  is 
engaged  in  storekeeping  in  Ogdensburgh. 

Mr.  Staats  Lawrence,  son  of  Hon.  Thomas  Lawrence,  was 
born  at  Hamburg,  N.  J.,  and  came  to  Ogdensburgh  in  March, 
1875.  He  is  a  large  dealer  in  lumber,  coal,  brick,  lime, 
cement,  &c. 

Samuel  George,  at  present  superintendent  of  iron  mines  at 
Roseville,  is  a  son  of  John  George,  and  was  formerly  superin- 
tendent of  mines  in  North  Carolina. 


YI.— OGDEN    GENEALOGY. 

BY    REV.    A.    A.    HAINES. 

I.  John  Ogden,  one  of  the  two  patentees  who  settled 
Elizabethtown  ;  born  in  Northampton,  England  ;  resided^  in 
Stamford,  Conn.,  1641,  a  year  after  its  settlement ;  married 
Jane  Bond  about  1640  ;  in  i6M  settled  Hempstead,  L.  I.,  by 
grant  from  Governor  Keift,  November  16,  1644  ;  made  a  new 
settlement  at  North  Sea,  L.  I.,  in  1647  ;  made  a  freeman  of 
Southampton,  1650  ;  held  office  as  magistrate  from  Connecticut 
and  New  Haven.  In  1664  he  came  ta  Elizabethtown  with  his 
five  grown  boys,  John,  Jr.,  Jonathan,  David,  Joseph  and 
Benjamin.  A  man  much  honored,  of  sterling  piety,  and 
frequently  called  "  Good  old  John  Ogden."  Died  December, 
16S1. 

II.  Jonathan  Ogden  came  with  his  father  to  Elizabethtown, 
1664 ;  born  1646,  died  1Y32  ;  elder  in  the  church  ;  signed 
articles  of  Elizabethtown  Associates  in  the  purchase  of  that 
tract  from  the  Staten  Island  Indians,  1664,  when  eighteen 
years  old.  Tombstone  in  First  Presbyterian  churchyard  ;  his 
wife  was  named  Rebecca  ;  had  live  children,  Jonathan,  Samuel, 
Robert,  Hannah  and  Rebecca. 

III.  Robekt  Ogden,  1st,  was  the  youngest  son  of  Jonatlian 
and  Rebecca ;  born  1687 ;  married  Hannah  Crane,  of  Newark. 
Their  children  were  Hannah,  Bohert  (2d),  Phebe,  Moses, 
Elihu  and  David.  His  second  wife  was  Phebe  Roberts,  widow 
of  Jonathan  Baldwin.  Their  children  were  Mary,  Rebecca 
and  Sarah.  He  was  an  elder  in  the  church,  and  died  Novem- 
ber 20,  1733,  at  the  age  of  forty-six. 

IV.  Robert  Ogden,  2d,  was  the  eldest  son  of  Robert  and 
Hannah  Crane  ;  was  called  Honorable  and  Judge  ;  held  many 
offices  under  the  royal  government ;  born  October  7,  1716  ; 
died  at  Sparta.  January  21,  1787  ;  married  Phebe  Hatfield,  and 
had  twenty-two  children  ;  removed  from  Elizabethtown,  1776, 
to  Sussex  County ;  called  their  house  and  farm  Sparta. 
Speaker  of  the  New  Jersey  Legislature,  December,  1759  ; 
member  of  the  Continental  Congress  in  New  York,  October, 
1765  ;  elder  and  member  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and 
Philadelphia,  1763  and  1766  ;  chairman  of  the  Committee  of 
Safety,  Elizabethtown,  1776.     PhcU  Hatfield,  his  wife,  was 


70  OGDEN    GENEALOGY. 

born  November  25,  1720 ;  died  and  buried  beside  ber  husband 
in  Sparta  churchyard  December  22,  1796.  Their'  children 
were  Phebe  Ogdcn,  wife  of  Col.  Thomas  Moseley,  M.D.,  of 
East  Haddam,  Conn.  ;  Anna  Ogden,  born  September  28,  1740, 
wife  of  Col.  Oliver  Spencer ;  Rhocla  Ogden,  born  September 
28,  1742  ;  married  Timothy  Edwards,  son  of  Jonathan  Edwards, 
and  at  the  time  of  her  death  had  102  descendants  ;  Robert 
Ogdeoi,  3d  ;  Jonathan  Ogden,  born  January  15,  1748,  died  in 
infancy ;  Jonathan  Ogden,  2d,  born  September  2,  1750, 
drowned  in  Elizabethtown  Creek,  June  10,  1760  ;  Mary  Ogden, 
born  September  18,  1752,  married  Col.  Francis  Barber,  and 
died  shortly  afterward  without  children  ;  Matthias  Ogden, 
General,  born  October  22,  1754,  and  married  Hannah,  daughter 
of  Gen.  Elias  Dayton ;  Aaron  Ogden,  LL.D.,  a  colonel  in  the 
Revolutionary  army,  Governor  of  New  Jersey  and  United 
States  Senator,  President  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati,  was 
born  December  3,  1756,  and  died  at  Jersey  City,  1839  ;  Oliver 
Ogden,  born  January  16,  1760  ;  Hannah  Ogden,  born  March 
27,  1761,  and  died  at  Sparta,  1789.  unmarried  ;  Elias  Ogden, 
born  November  9,  1763,  married  Mary  Anderson.  Their 
children  were  William  A.  Ogden,  Matthias  Hatfield  Ogden,  of 
Hamburg ;  Phebe  Ogden,  Henry  Warren  Ogden,  Captain 
United  States  Navy  and  a  distinguished  ofhcer  ;  Elias  Ogden 
and  Rev.  Thomas  Anderson  Ogden,  ordained  in  Hamburg 
Church. 

Y.  Robert  Ogden,  3d,  was  the  son  of  Robert,  2d,  and  Phebe 
Hatiield  ;  born  at  Elizabethtown,  March  23,  1746,  and  died 
February  14,  1826,  at  the  house  of  his  grandson,  Daniel  Haines, 
in  Hamburg;  removed  to  Sussex;  President  Sussex  County 
Bible  Society  1825 ;  elder,  and  often  member  of  Presbytery 
and  Synod  [member  of  General  Assembly  1806  and  1807]  ; 
married  May  19,  1772,  to  his  first  wife,  Sarah  Piatt,  who  was 
born  at  Huntington,  L.  I.,  September  27,  1750.  Their  children 
are  Elizabeth  Piatt  Ogden,  born  August  10,  1773,  wife  of  Col. 
Joseph  Jackson,  of  Rockaway ;  Robert  Ogden,  4th,  born 
September  15,  1775  ;  Mary  Ogden,  born  July  3,  1778,  married 
Elias  Haines,  merchant  of  New  York,  and  died  1852 ; 
Jeremiah  Piatt  Ogden,  born  October  22,  1779,  and  drowned  in 
Elizabethtown  Creek  when  a  cliild ;  Sarah  Piatt  Ogden,  born 
January  21,  1781,  married  Cornelius  Dubois,  merchant  of  New 
York.  Mrs.  Ogden  died  two  hours  after  the  birth  of  this 
child.  Mr.  Ogden  was  absent,  trying  a  case  before  the  court 
when  a  messenger  came  with  the  announcement,  and  he  fainted 
on  the  spot.  Hannah  Piatt  Ogden  was  the  second  wife  of 
Robert  Ogden,  3d ;  they  were  married  at  Huntington,  L.  I. 


OGDEN    GENEALOGY. 


71 


Their  children  were  Rebecca  Wood  Phitt  Oo;den,  born  March 
23, 1787,  and  married  Sam.  Fowler,  M.D.,  of  Franklin  Furnace  ; 
Hannah  Amelia  Jarvis  Ogden,  born  August  10,  1790,  and 
married  Thomas  C.  Ryerson,  Judge  of  Supreme  Court ;  Phebe 
Henrietta  Maria,  born  February  9, 1793,  the  .second  wife  of  Judge 
Ryerson,  died  March,  1852;  Zophar  Piatt  Ogden,  born 
December  7,  1795,  married  Rebecca  Wood,  of  Mississippi ; 
William  Henry  Augustus  Ogden,  born  December  14,  1797, 
died  in  Louisiana,  1822  ;  John  Adams  Ogden,  born  September, 
1799,  died  February  9,  1800. 

SYNOPSIS. 

1.  John  Ogden,  of  ^Northampton,  England,  died  Decem- 
ber, 1681,  in  years.  2.  Jonathan  Ogden,  born  1646,  died 
1732,  aged  86.  3.  Robert  Ogden,  1st,  born  1687,  died  Novem- 
ber 20,  1733,  aged  46.  4.  Robert  Ogden,  2d,  born  October 
7,  1716,  died  January  21,  1787,  aged  71.  5.  Robert  Ogden, 
3d,  born  March  23,  1746,  died  February  14,  1826,  aged  80. 

The  following  letter  is  important  as  showing  the  time  of 
Rob.  Ogden's  coming  to  Sussex  County,  and  also  his  connection 
with  the  Continental  army  : 

"  MoRBiSTOWN,  January  6,  1777. 

"  Honorable  Sir :  I  send  you  Mr.  Lowrey's  letter,  who,  since 
it  was  written,  has  desired  me  to  inform  you  that  the  way  he 
does,  and  the  method  you  must  take,  is  to  apply  to  General 
Washington,  who  will  give  a  warrant  for  any  sum  of  money 
you  may  apply  for  necessary  for  carrying  on  your  commissary's 
department.  I  am  informed  there  is  complaint  here  for  want 
of  flour,  and  think  it  best  you  should  attend  here  yourself  as 
soon  as  possible — w^here  you  will  receive  help  from  the  mili- 
tary by  General  Washington's  order,  to  take  wheat  or  any  other 
necessary  for  the  army  from  such  persons  as  have  it  to  spare 
without  distressing  their  families.  General  Washington  will 
be  here  by  noon.  Forty  Waldeckers  were  brought  in  yester- 
day by  the  militia.  The  killed,  wounded  and  prisoners  of  the 
enemy  at  Princeton  were  about  600  ;  our  loss  of  men  was  about 
ten  or  twelve,  and  of  officers  six  or  eight,  among  which  was 
General  Mercer.      From  yours  dutifully, 

M.  Ogden." 

"  For  Robert  Ogden,  Esq.,  Sussex." 


VII.— HISTOKY  OF  NORTH  HARDYSTON  CHURCH. 

This  clinrch  consists  of  two  congregations  at  the  North 
Church  and  at  Hamburg,  under  one  session  and  one  pastor. 
The  following  account  is  compiled  from  an  historical  sermon 
of  the  Rev.  A.  A.  Haines,  preached  August  30,  1882,  and  also 
from  another,  preached  in  July,  1879  : 

Land  had  been  given  at  tlie  Head  of  the  Wallkill  near  the 
present  village  of  Sparta,  for  church  purposes,  but  the  people 
of  North  Hardyston  objected  to  going  so  far  to  meeting,  and 
petitioned  for  land  to  be  given  them  within  a  reasonable  dis- 
tance. The  petition  was  favorably  considered,  and  a  new 
parsonage  lot  of  fifty-four  acres  Avas  set  off  to  the  people  of 
North  Hardyston.  This  land  is  situated  over  two  miles  from 
the  North  Church,  and  constitutes  a  part  of  the  land  of  Asa  Mun- 
Bon,  and  is  called  "  parsonage  lot  "  in  his  father's  deeds.  This 
donation  fixed  the  name  of  the  new  church,  our  corporate  name 
being  still  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  North  Hardyston.  This 
grant  was  made  about  1774  [1787],  and  was  no  doubt  very 
influential  in  the  founding  of  the  society.  The  house  of  wor- 
ship was  not  erected  on  the  lands  donated.  Col.  Isaac  Cary, 
who  lived  here,  and  who  had  much  influence,  insisted  that  it 
should  be  built  on  a  hill  near  his  house  that  had  been  used  as 
a  burying  ground.  He  carried  his  point,  and  the  "Cary 
Meetini"  House"  was  built  on  the  hill  above  the  site  of  the 
present  church.  The  North  Church  of  Hardyston,  so  called  to 
distinguish  it  from  the  Hardyston  at  Sparta,  was  rebuilt  in 
1815  on  its  present  site.  This  latter  building  was  burned 
down  in  1830  by  a  negro  incendiary,  instigated  by  a  man  im- 
prisoned for  debt  in  Newton  jail.  A  subscription  list  dated 
June  19,  1813,  read  :  "  We,  the  subscribers,  being  sensible  of 
the  decayed  situation  of  the  old  meeting-house  near  the  Widow 
Beardslee,  and  of  the  necessity  and  great  utility  of  having  a 
decent  and  comfortable  house  erected  at  or  near  the  place 
where  the  old  one  stands  for  public  worship,  do  engage  to  pay 
the  several  sums  annexed  to  our  respective  names  in  to  the 
trustees  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  of  Hardyston,  or  to 
tlieir  order,  one-fourth  part  on  demand,  one-fourth  part  in  six 
months  after  the  said  building  is  commenced,  and  the  residue 
in  six  months  after  the  second  payment  becomes  due.  When 
a  sufficient  sum  is  subscribed,  managers   shall  be  chosen  to 


HISTORY    OF    NORTH    HARDYSTON    CHURCH.  73 

contract  and  superiiitund  the  work,  and  that  Martin  Ryerson, 
Ifirael  Mimson,  George  Buckley,  Noah  Hammond,  Peter 
Whitaker  and  J.  Sutton,  be  a  committee  to  circulate  sub- 
scriptions to  raise  funds  for  the  purpose  aforesaid."  John 
Linn  subscribed  $150;  Samuel  Fowler,  $150;  George 
Beardslee,  $150;  James  Scott,  $100;  Chas.  Beardsley,  $100, 
and  others  very  liberal  sums  amounting  to  $1133. 

When  the  second  building  was  burned  down  in  1830,  it  was  re- 
built and  dedicated,  May  6,  1831,  fourteen  months  after  the  first 
one  had  been  burned.  This  was  due  largely  to  the  untiring  efforts 
of  the  pastor.  Rev.  Dr.  Elias  Fairchdd.  The  first  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Hamburg  was  organized  on  May  14,  1819,  and  was  dis- 
solved by  the  members  being  received  into  the  North  Presbyter- 
ian Church  of  Hardiston.  May  24,  1822.  The  meeting-house  at 
Hamburg — now  occupied  exclusively  by  the  Baptists — was 
built  about  1814,  the  deed  for  the  land  being  given  by  Martin 
Ryerson,  January  20, 1814,  "  to  the  trustees  of  the  United  Pres- 
byterian and  Baptist  Societies."  In  September,  1869,  the  fine 
stone  building  in  Hamburg  was  begun,  and  in  May,  1882,  it 
was  dedicated^  Up  to  May  15, 1819,  North  Hardiston  was  united 
with  the  Hardyston  Church,  at  Sparta,  but  at  that  date  it  began  a 
separate  existence  with  a  membership  of  sixty-one.  At  the  same 
time  the  Hamburg  Church  was  set  off  from  Sparta.  Up  to  this 
time  the  same  ministers  preached  in  two  and  sometimes  in  all 
three  of  these  churches.  Newton  Church  was  also  in  the  same 
circuit  up  to  1815. 

The  ministers  of  N^orth  Hardiston  and  Hamburo;  were  Ed- 
ward Allen,  1819;  Burr  Baldwin,  1821;  Nathan  Conklin, 
1824;  Dr.  Elias  Fairchild,  1829;  Joel  (kmpbell,  1838;  David 
B.  Meeker,  1857;  Goodloe  B.  Bell,  1-59;  Alanson  A.  Haines, 
1865. 

Tlie  Sabbath  school  was  organized  in  1818,  and  revivals  of 
religion  luive  been  unusually  frequent.  Its  session  has  included 
such  eminent  men  as  the  Hon.  John  Linn,  a  member  of  Con- 
gress, and  ex-Governor  Haines,  the  father  of  the  present  pas- 
tor, and  a  man  of  eminent  piety.  Judge  Haines,  in  many 
respects  the  most  prominent  citizen  of  this  county,  was  equally 
prominent  and  infiuential  in  church  and  State.  He  was  born 
in  the  city  of  New  York, '1801.  His  father,  Elias  Haines,  was 
a  wealthy  merchant  of  that  city.  His  ancestors  were  among 
the  first  settlers  of  Elizabethtown.  where  his  grandfather, 
Stephen  Haines,  resided,  and  with  his  sons  took  an  active  part 
in  the  Revolution.  Judge  Haines  graduated  from  the  Col- 
lege of  New  Jersey,  1820,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1823.     He  took  an  active  part  in  politics,  was  a  member  of  the 


74 


HISTORY    OF    NORTH     IIAKDYSTON    CHUROH. 


Council,  Governor  twice — in  18-43  and  18-1-7 — and  made  an  excel- 
lent reputation  for  impartiality  and  integrity  as  Justice  of  the  Su- 
preme Court  for  fourteen  years  from  November,  1852.  He  was 
active  in  the  General  Assembly,  Bible  Society  and  Sabbath 
school.  He  was  a  member  of  the  International  Congress  for 
prison  reform,  which  met  at  London  in  1872.  He  died,  greatly 
respected,  at  Hamburg,  January  26,  1877.  The  membership  of 
this  church  was  sixty-one  when  it  was  organized,  May,  1819 — 
fifty-one  by  certificate  and  ten  by  profession  ;  in  1819.  twenty- 
four  were  added  ;  in  1827,  twenty-six  ;  in  1831,  sixty  ;  in  1832, 
seventy ;  in  1831-,  twenty-six ;  in  1842,  thirty-six ;  in  1850, 
twenty-four;  in  1858,  sixteen;  in  1871,  forty-four ;  in  1886, 
forty-two ;  in  1886,  fifteen. 

The  elders  of  North  Hardyston  have  been  the  following : 
John  Linn,  died  1821 ;  George  Buckley,  died  1831  ;  Johnson 
Gould ;  Thomas  Beardslee,  ordained  1821,  died  1831 ;  James 
Congleton,  ordained  1821,  died  1871  ;  c-amuel  Tuttle,  ordained 
1823,  died  1861;  Daniel  Edwards,  ordained  1824;  Jacob 
Kimble,  ordained  1827,  died  1863 ;  Andrew  Linn,  ordained 
1827-1848;  Daniel  Haines,  ordained  1837,  died  1877 ;  Elias 
L.  Hommedieu,  ordained  1837-1845  ;  Simon  W.  Buckley,  or- 
dained 1848 ;  Joshua  Predinore,  ordained  1848 ;  Samuel  O. 
Price,  ordained  1866;  Levi  Congleton,  ordained  1866 ;  John 
L.  Brown  ordained  1868 ;  John  E.  Congleton,  ordained  1876, 
died  1879;  William  E.  Skinner,  ordained  1876;  Worthington 
H.  Ingersoll,  ordained  1878. 

The  present  pastor  has  served  this  church  for  nearly  twenty- 
two  years.  Alanson  Austin  Haines  was  born  at  Hamburg, 
N.  J.,  March  18,  1830;  studied  at  the  College  of  New  Jersey, 
but  his  health  failed  before  graduation ;  engaged  from  1850  to 
1855  in  civil  engineering,  mostly  on  New  Jersey  railroads ; 
graduated  from  Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  1858  ;  licensed 
by  the  Presbytery  Rockaway,  April,  1857 ;  ordained  and  installed 
pastor  of  the  Buckingham  Church,  Berlin,  Md.,  September  22, 
1858 ;  resigned  October,  I860  ;  stated  supply  at  Amagansett, 
Long  Island,  from  November,  1860,  to  August,  1862  ;  Chaplain 
of  Fifteenth  Regiment,  New  Jersey  Volunteers,  from  August, 
1862,  to  the  close  of  the  war,  June,  1865;  stated  supply  Morth 
Hardyston,  Hamburg,  N.  J.,  July,  1865,  to  the  present  time 
(January,  1887) ;  received  leave  of  absence  from  his  charge  for 
nine  months  in  1873 ;  sent  by  American  Palestine  Exploration 
Society  as  engineer  of  the  expedition  to  the  land  of  Moab ; 
made  surveys  and  map  of  territory,  extending  twenty  miles 
north  and  south  and  thirty  miles  east  and  west,  to  the  east- 
ward of  the  Jordan  and  the  Dead  Sea  ;  made  a  complete  survey 


HISTORY    OF    NOKTH    HAEDTSTON    CHUKCH.  75 

of  Mt.  Nebo  and  adjoining  bights.  Tbe  results  were  pub- 
lisbed  in  part  by  tbe  English  Palestine  Exploration  Fund. 
Had  a  second  leave  of  absence  for  five  and  a  half  months  in 
1876.  In  company  with  Rev.  Laurens  Y.  Shuler  made  explora- 
tions in  the  Sinaitic  Peninsular,  Mt.  Seir,  Idumea  and  Southern 
Palestine  ;  ascended  and  determined  in  the  two  expeditions 
the  bights  of  most  of  the  sacred  mountains  and  mapped  the 
regions  passed  through. 

Three  ministers  have  gone  out  from  this  church — viz., 
I.  Ford  Sutton,  D.  D.,  who  united  with  the  church  in  1843  at 
fifteen  years  of  age,  and  who  is  now  the  pastor  of  the  Murray 
Hill  Presbyterian  Church,  of  New  York  City ;  Samuel  Payne, 
who  joined  the  church  in  1825,  and  was  ordained  in  1832,  and 
Alanson  A.  Haines,  who  united  with  the  church,  January,  1843, 
at  twelve  years  of  age. 


YIIL— OTHER    EELIGIOUS    BODIES. 

The   Methodist   Church. 

by  moses   delany. 

About  the  year  1820,  Rev.  Geo.  Banghart  came  to  this,  then 
called  Hamburg,  circuit.  He  had  a  regular  preaching  place  at 
Major  John  Boss's  father's  house.  He  is  said  to  have  preached 
the  first  Methodist  sermon  in  Sparta,  in  the  old  tavern  called 
"  Granny  Stewarts.''  Hev.  Mr.  Banghart  was  in  many  respects  a 
remarkable  man.  He  was  intensely  earnest,  and  had  a  voice 
of  wonderful  sweetness  and  power.  He  was  a  very  fine  singer, 
and  many  striking  incidents  are  related  of  the  marvelous  influ- 
ence he  had  over  an  audience  in  sacred  song.  The  writer 
heard  him  preach  many  years  ago,  and  remembers  distinctly 
the  peculiar  effect  his  preaching  produced  on  him.  He  was 
moved  to  tears  by  the  sweet  and  tender  manner  in  which  he 
spoke  the  endearing  word  Heaven.  He  died  about  seventeen 
years  ago  in  Warren  County,  K.  J. — his  native  place,  I  believe 
— at  the  ripe  age  of  eighty-eight,  having  preached  the  Gospel 
for  sixty  years.  After  him  came  Bromwell  Andrew ;  Isaac 
Winner,  who  was  also  a  noted  pulpit  orator ;  James  H.  Dandy, 
who  lived  to  a  ripe  old  age,  having  preached  for  fifty-six  years; 
John  Potts,  Jacob  Hevener,  C.  A.  Lippincott  and  many  others, 
whose  names  will  be  mentioned  hereafter.  C.  A.  Lippincott 
was  a  powerful  preacher,  and  very  eccentric ;  a  man  of  won- 
derful and  strange  experiences.  When  at  camp-meetings  he 
was  at  home.  There  his  voice  rang  out  in  trumpet  tones,  call- 
ing sinners  to  Christ — the  only  Saviour  of  lost  men.  For  some 
years  at  first  the  itinerant  preacher  could  be  heard  only  in 
private  houses,  barns,  schoolhouses,  and  often  in  God's  first 
temples — the  groves.  The  first  Methodists  were  generally 
poor,  and  had  to  make  great  sacrifices  for  God  and  the  church. 
From  a  small  and  feeble  beginning  the  Methodist  church  has 
arisen  to  a  respectable  position  among  her  sister  churches. 

About  one-third  of  the  Methodist  preachers  who  have  labored 
in  this  region  have  left  the  church  militant  and  joined  the  church 
triumphant.  Of  those  who  survive,  some  have  grown  old  in  the 
service  of  the  Master  and  still  linger  with  us  ;  John  Scarlet,  the 
converted  infidel,  who  has  given  so  many  powerful  blows  to  infi- 
delity, whose  faith  has  never  wavered  since  he  broke  the  chain  by 


OTHER    RELIGIOUS    BODIES.  77' 

which  he  was  so  long  bound,  still  survives  at  the  ripe  age  of  four 
score  and  five  years,  his  eye  still  bright  and  his  natural  force  una- 
bated. Most  of  the  Methodist  ministers  who  have  pre.aclied  in 
Sparta  since  a  Methodist  church  was  organized  here  are  still 
living  and  doing  effective  work.  They  are  strong  men  of  God 
and  able  ministers  of  the  New"  Testament.  In  1832,  James 
Ayers  preached  in  Sparta.  In  1835  and  1836  Sedgewick 
Husling  was  the  preacher  in  charge,  and  C  S.  Van  Cleve, 
junior  preacher.  Preaching  was  at  Urst  held  in  the  schoolhouse, 
after  that  in  the  old  storehouse  down  by  the  lower  bridge.  On 
August  15,  1836,  Methodism  took  an  organic  form  under  the 
supervision  of  Rev.  Sedgewick  Kusling.  At  the  above  date  a 
meeting  was  held  in  Lewis  Sherman's  store,  at  which  time  five 
trustees  were  elected,  who  were  the  following:  Isaac  Goble, 
Geo.  B.  Beatty,  Ziba  Nichols,  Joseph  Boss  and  Lewis  Dewitt. 
On  the  17th  of  the  same  month  these  trustees  met  and 
assumed  the  name  of  the  First  M.  E.  Church,  of  Hardyston. 
On  the  14th  of  June,  1837,  a  storehouse  and  lot  were  bought 
of  Isaac  Coursen  for  $750.  The  house  stood  on  the  present 
site  of  J.  A.  Potter's  store.  This  was  used  as  a  place  of  wor- 
ship until  it  was  sold  in  June,  1839.  The  congregation  then 
worshipped  in  the  houses  of  Ichabod  McConnell  and  Stephen 
Lyon  alternately.  In  the  spring  of  1841  the  contract  for- 
building  a  church  was  let  to  Joseph  Crane  for  $1405,  to  be 
paid  in  installments  as  the  work  progressed. 

The  church  was  completed  in  April,  1842,  and  stood  opposite 
the  upper  blacksmith  shop.  The  trustees  of  the  church  at  that 
time,  as  near  as  I  can  learn  by  the  old  records,  were  John 
Bonker,  Jacob  B.  Leport,  James  Boss,  Dan.  J.  Hurd,  Zenas 
Hurd,  Jacob  Y.  Coursen  and  Herrick  K.  Halsey.  The  build- 
ing committee  were  Jacob  Coursen,  Joseph  Crane,  Herrick  E,. 
Halsey,  John  Houston  and  Mahlon  H.  Hurd,  and  the  preacher 
in  charge  was  Rev.  Edward  Saunders.  The  corner-stone  was 
laid  on"  the  22d  of  September,  1841,  by  the  Rev.  Manning 
Force,  and  the  church  was  completed  in  April,  1842.  The 
sermon  at  its  dedication  was  preached  by  Rev.  David  W. 
Bartine,  D.  D.,  who  was  a  prince  in  Israel.  In  March,  1856,  a 
parsonage  was  bought  of  Stephen  Rochelle  for  $975,  which 
was  the  house  now  occupied  by  Peter  Cooper.  The  grounds 
on  which  are  located  the  present  church,  parsonage  and  ceme- 
try  were  purchased  of  John  and  Charles  Darling,  April  1, 
1864.  The  old  parsonage  was  sold  in  1865  for  $812.50,  and  a 
new  parsonage  was  built  the  same  year  for  $1638.85.  The 
present  church  edifice  was  built  in  1868  for  $^455.16.  The 
trustees  at  that  time  were  the  following :;    J.  W.  Puder,  Capt.. 


Y8  OTIIEK    KELIGIOU8    BODIES. 

Isaac  Goble,  D.  H.  Lantz,  S.  M.  Fislier,  O.  P.  Case,  Thomas 
McDavit  and  Matliias  Goble.  The  building  committee  were 
Rev.  C.  E.  Walton  (the  preacher  in  charge),  John  L.  White, 
Thomas  McDavit,  D.  H.  Lantz  and  Smith  M.  Fisher. 

The  corner-stone  was  laid  September  17,  1868,  by  Rev.  C.  S. 
Coit.  The  cliui-ch  was  dedicated  May  4,  1869.  The  distin- 
guished ministers  who  officiated  on  that  occasion  were  Rev.  R. 
L.  Dashiell,  D.  D.,  and  Rev.  R.  R.  Meredith.  The  old  church 
w^as  sold  to  William  Earl,  March  3,  1869,  for  $485.  Mr.  Earl 
removed  it  to  its  present  location,  where  the  lower  part  is  now 
used  as  a  store  by  John  A.  Potter,  and  the  upper  part  as  a 
Town  Hall.  In  1872  the  cemetery  was  laid  out  and  graded. 
At  that  time  the  debt  on  the  clnirch  property  was  $3882.63. 
Then  it  gradually  diminished  until  the  year  1882,  when  it  was 
$2840.  During  that  year,  under  the  supervision  of  the  pastor. 
Rev.  A.  M.  Harris,  a  determined  effort  was  made  to  free  the 
church  from  debt.  Under  God's  blessing,  the  effort  was  en- 
tirely successful.  In  the  summer  of  1886  the  church  was  thor- 
oughly overhauled,  repaired  and  beautitied  at  a  cost  of  about 
$500.  The  parsonage  was  also  considerably  improved.  The 
committ-e  on  repairs  were  Rev.  M.  S.  Lambert,  John  A.  Pot- 
ter and  W.  C.  Timbrell.  The  present  officers  of  the  church 
are  the  following :  Trustees :  M.  Delany,  H.  B.  Strait,  W.  C. 
Timbrell.  P.  H.  Cooper,  W.  H.  Martin  and  Wilson  Kinney. 
Stewards :  H.  B.  Strait,  M.  Delany,  P.  H.  Cooper,  Mrs.  G.  13. 
Fisher,  Mrs.  Geo.  Struble  and  Miss  M.  A.  Lyon.  Superin- 
tendent of  Sunday  school :  W.  C.  Timbrell.  Class  Leaders : 
M.  Delany  and  W.  C.  Timbrell.  Licensed  Exhorter :  M. 
Delany. 

The  church  when  organized  consisted  of  fifty  members ;  in 
1886  of  120  members  and  twenty  probationers.  In  1849, 
Sparta  ceased  to  form  part  of  a  circuit.  The  Methodist  church 
in  Sparta  has  sent  out  only  a  few  men  to  preach  the  Gospel,  but 
many  grand  and  noble  men  and  women  have  lived  and  died  in 
her  communion.  Space  will  not  permit  me  to  mention  the 
host  who  have  been  converted  by  her  instrumentality.  I  will 
only  speak  of  a  few  revered  and  honored  names.  There  were 
Ziba  Nichols,  familiarly  called  "  Uncle  Ziba,"  and  John 
Bonker,  who  was  sometimes  called  "Daddy"  Bonker.  These 
two  men  were  moral  heroes,  and  were  fired  with  an  undying 
faith  and  zeal.  They  were  licensed  exhorters,  and  their  ex- 
hortations and  songs  of  praise  were  heard  frequently  in  nearly 
every  schoolhouse  in  this  and  the  adjoining  townshops.  Their 
names  are  "like  ointment  poured  forth."  I  will  also  speak  of 
Mrs.  Stephen  Lyon,  who  has  been  identified  with  Methodism 


OTHER    RELIGIOUS    BODIES.  79 

from  its  beofiiining-  in  Sparta.  She  is  still  with  us  at  the  ripe 
age  of  eightv-two.  Her  mental  faculties  are  still  good,  and  her 
faith  and  hope  in  God  strong  and  unwavering.  Another  lion- 
ored  name  I  should  speak  of  is  S.  M.  Fisher,  who  was  identi- 
fied with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  in  this  place  for  more 
than  thirty  years.  He  was  honored  with  nearly  every  office  in 
the  churcli.  He  was  a  good  and  very  useful  man.  He  passed 
suddenly  to  his  heavenly  home  about  three  years  ago,  aged 
sixty-four.  I  might  mention  many  more  who  labored,  toiled 
and  suffered  here  for  Christ  and  His  cause.  But  their  record  is 
on  high.  They  rest  in  peace.  The  ministers  who  have  served 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  as  pastors  since  its  organiza- 
tion in  1836  to  the  present  time  are  the  following :  1836, 
Sedgewick  Rusling  ;  1838,  Edward  Saunders;  1840,  W.  C.  Nel- 
son ;  1843,  John  Scarlet ;  1845,  S.  D.  Decker ;  1847,  H.  B. 
Beagle;  1850.  F.  S.  Wolf;  1852,  T.  S,  Detrick;  1854,  J.  L. 
Hays;  1855,  O.  B.  Carmichael ;  1857,  A.  H.  Bellis  ;  1859,  W. 
G.  Wiggins  ;  1861,  J.  B.  Matins  ;  1863,  R.  Thomas  ;  1865,  W. 
E.  Blakeslee;  1867,  W.  H.  Dickerson  ;  1868,  C.  E.Walton; 
1871,  W.  B.  Wigg ;  1873,  J.  E.  Hancock  ;  1875,  C.  M.  Wam- 
baugh  ;  1877,  E"  Meachem  ;  1879,  A.  L.  Wilson  ;  1882,  A.  M. 
Harris;  1884,  Wm.  Stout,  and  1886,  M.  S.  Lambert,  who  is 
the  present  pastor.  There  have  been  revivals  under  nearly  all 
the  pastorates  of  the  foregoing  preachers.  Some  were  very 
marked  and  glorious  ones.     To  God  be  all  the  glory. 

Baptist  Church. 

The  Rev.  Theodore  Fuller,  of  Deckertown,  began  preaching 
at  Ogdensburgh  as  a  Methodist  September,  1876.  Three  years 
after  (1879)  he  became  a  Baptist,  and  was  baptised  with  twenty- 
three  of  his  people  at  Grenelle  Lake,  and  thirteen  more  were 
afterward  baptised  at  Newton.  Mr.  Fuller  ceased  preaching 
at  Ogdensburgh  June  1,  1886.  The  following  were  members 
of  his  church':     Anthony  Pierce,  Matilda  Dorven,  Nellie  Mor- 

fan,  Mrs.  John  Sweeney,   Barbara  Batson,  James  Fredericks, 
tr>.  Nathaniel  Pierson  and  Elder  Dennis. 

Roman  Catholic  Church. 

"  The  corner-stone  of  the  Church  of  St.  Thomas  of  Acquin, 
Ogdensburgh,  was  laid  May  4,  1881,  by  the  Most  Rev.  M.  A. 
Corrigan,  D.  D.,  assisted  by  Revs.  R.  B.  McDonald,  S.  J., 
G.  A.  Corrigan  and  A.  M.  Kammer.  On  November  5  of  the 
same  year  the  church  was  dedicated  and  opened  for  divine 
service  by  the  Rt.-Rev.  W.  M.  Wigger,  D.  D.,  Bishop  of  New- 


80  OTHER    KELIGIOUS    BODIES. 

ark.  The  church  M'as  built  by  the  Hev.  A.  M.  Kaininer,  who 
remained  its  rector  until  removed  to  Jen-ey  City,  June  16^ 
1884.  The  second  and  present  rector  is  liev.  J.  II.  Hill,  resid- 
ing at  Franklin  Furnace.  The  land,  building  and  furnishing 
of  the  church  cost  $4500.  The  present  membership  of  the 
church  is  about  twenty -eight  families,  or  one  hundred  and  thirty 
souls.  Prominent  among  its  members  are  P.  Madden,  P.  J. 
Dolan,  merchants;  J.  F.  Dolan,  plumber  and  tiTismith ;  T. 
Marshall,  superintendent  of  Passaic  Zinc  Mine.  Prior  to  IS^o- 
vember,  1881,  all  the  Catholics  of  Sparta  Township  worshipped 
in  the  Church  of  the  Immaculate  Conception,  Franklin  Fur- 
nace."    [Letter  of  Rev.  J.  H.  Hill.'\ 

The  Corey  Universalist  Society. 

The  first  meeting  of  this  society  to  elect  trnstees  for  the  pur- 
pose of  becoming  incorporated  was  held  June  20,  1871.  Kev. 
Eben  Francis  was  appointed  chairnmn  and  Geo.  B.  Beatty 
clerk.     Tlie  articles  of  belief  are  as  follows : 

"  Article  1.  We  believe  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testament  contain  a  revelation  of  the  character  of 
God,  and  of  the  duty,  interest  and  final  destination  oP  man- 
kind. 

"  Article  2.  We  believe  that  there  is  one  God,  whose  nature 
is  love,  revealed  in  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ  by  one  Holy  Spirit 
of  Grace,  who  will  finally  rest'  re  the  whole  family  of  mankind 
to  holiness  and  happiness. 

"  Article  3.  AVe  believe  that  holiness  and  true  happiness  are 
inseparal)ly  connected,  and  that  believers  ought  to  be  careful 
to  maintain  order  and  practice  good  works,  for  these  things  are 
good  and  profitable  unto  men." 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  trustees  from  the  beginning  : 
James  B.  Stanaback,  Joseph  McMickle,  Robert  Mabie,  William 
Earl,  Daniel  Srilwell,  Phillip  Kinney,  John  Decker,  Martin  W. 
Mabie,  David  F.  Kinney,  T.  H.  Andress,  John  McMickle  and 
John  Linn  Allen.  Incorporated  July  8,1871;  Admitted  to 
the  fellowship  of  the  New  Jersey  Convention  of  Universalist* 
February,  1872. 


IX.— PKOPRIETAEY     TKANSFERS. 

The  map,  which  is  unavoidably  curtailed,  was  drawn  by 
James  B.  Titman,  and  the  following  description  is  compiled 
from  data  furnished  almost  altogether  by  him  : 

The  map  represents  land  given  to  the  church  by  the  j^ro- 
prietors.  The  record  at  Perth  Amboy  (Book  S.  8,  page  142, 
30th  May,  1787)  speaks  of  two  tracts,  one  of  which  is  now  in- 
cluded in  Asa  Munson's  farm,  and  was  given  for  the  benefit  of 
that  part  of  the  congregation  living  in  Korth  Hardyston.  We 
give  a  copy  of  the  minutes  in  full : 

"  Surveyed  for  the  trustees  of  the  FirSt  Presbyteriaii  Church 
in  Hardyston.  All  that  tract  of  hand  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Wallkill  in  the  township  of  Hardyston,  &c.  Beginning  at  a 
heap  of  stones  lying  on  a  steep  bank  by  the  side  of  Harlow 
Brook,  and  is  the  beginning  corner  of  105  acres  surveyed  for 
Lord  Sterling,  20th  September,  176G,  and  recorded  S.  5,  page 
320,  thence  :  1.  N.  1°  06'  W.  16.70 ;  2.  K  51°  W  E.  20 ; 
3.  K  25°  W  E.  12.40 ;  4.  S.  15°  33'  E.  16.95  ;  5.  S.  31°  27' 
W.  36 ;  6.  ^.  41°  45'  "W.  9.25  to  the  place  of  beginning,  con- 
tairjing  54  acres  strict  measure. 

"Also  all  that  tract  of  land,  including  Sparta  Church, 
situated  on  both  sides  of  the  Wallkill,  in  the  township  of 
Hardyston,  (fee.  Beginning  on  a  course  S.  1°  30'  W.  7  chains 
from  the  second  corner  of  Sharp's  160  acre  tract,  known  by  the 
name  of  the  Welsh  House  tract,  thence :  1.  S  1°  30'  W 
34.20  ;  2.  K  74"  W.  13.80 ;  3.  N".  43°  36'  W.  20 ;  4.  K 
60°  15'  E.  32.10  to  the  place  of  beginning,  containing  54  acres 
strict  measure." 

"  The  above  are  true  extracts  from  the  records  in  the  Sur- 
veyor General's  office,  of  East  l^ew  Jersey  at  Perth  Amboy. 

"  F.  W.  Bkinley, 

"  pro  SuEV.  Gen." 
The  lower  or  northern  extremity  of  this  land  is  near  Titman's 
Lane,  and  the  upper  or  southern  side  passes  just  above  the 
Earl  House.  The  northwest  boundary  23asses  along  behind  the 
graveyard,  and  the  eastern  boundary  runs  along  the  side  of  the 
hill  across  the  brook  east  of  the  village.  The  tots  on  the  west 
of  the  road  are  divided  and  numbered  correctly,  but  it  has  been 
found  almost  impossible  to  locate  with  certainty  those  on  the 

(6) 


82  PROPRIETARY    TRANSFERS. 

east  of  the  road.  Lot  24  was  sold  hy  Elizabeth  Stewart  to  her 
son-in-law,  John  Lennington,  and  is  still  part  of  the  Lennington 
property. 

This  is  the  only  certain  location  of  the  lots  east  of  the  road. 
But  we  are  safe  in  inferring  that  the  parsonage  occupies  lot  23 
and  so  on  up  to  the  residence  of  William  Earl,  which  stands  on 
the  dividing  line  between  the  church  lands  and  the  Brogden 
tract.  Lots  16-18  (inclusive)  are  occupied  by  the  buildings  of 
Messsrs.  Shuman,  Bradbury,  Potter  and  Boss.  D  is  the  old 
store  that  used  to  stand  next  to  the  church  green ;  A  is  the 
church  with  the  graveyard  west  and  the  green  on  the  east ;  E 
is  the  first  log  schoolhouse ;  C  is  the  small  lot  sold  by  Cham- 
berlain and  French  to  DeCamp  in  1801 ;  B  is  the  irregularly 
shaped  lot  sold  by  Sheriif  Darrah,  'Nov.  2,  1819,  to  satisfy  a 
judgment  of  Rev.  Jos.  L.  Shafer,  then  preaching  at  Newton, 
for  the  amount  of  1114.78 ;  he  had  claimed  an  indebtedness  of 
$250.  The  southern  line  of  the  lot  ran  through  the  storehouse. 
Lot  No.  15  was  sold  October  10,  1T90,  to  Elias  Ogden  for 
$62. Y5,  and  by  him  to  Thomas  Hill,  May,  1791 ;  by  Thomas 
Hill  to  Samuel  Chamberlain  and  Henry  French,  April  8,  1801 ; 
Henry  French  sells  his  share  to  Elizabeth  Stewart  the  same 
year.  Thomas  Hill  excepts  from  this  sale  a  lot  previously  sold 
to  DeCamp  of  50  x  100  feet  in  size.  Lots  No.  16  and  17  were 
sold  to  Martin  Connet,  and  lot  18  to  "William  Corwin  ;  lots  2, 
3  and  4,  containing  three  acres  and  fifty-six  hundreths,  were 
sold  to  Thomas  Hill  in  July,  1791,  for  14  pounds  and  fifteen 
shillings.  These  last  lots  were  sold  by  Hill  to  W.  R,  Willis ; 
they  were  then  sold  at  sheriff's  sale,  June  2,  1798,  to  Hannah 
W.  Anderson,  of  New  York  City;  H.  W.  Anderson  sells  the 
same  to  John  Butler,  March  25,  1803,  for  $600 ;  the  latter  to 
Geo.  Morrow  in  1809.  In  December,  1797,  a  lot  adjoining  the 
above,  of  one  acre  and  eight  hundreths  is  sold  by  the  trustees 
to  W.  R.  Willis ;  and  in  March,  1798,  another  alongside  the 
first — of  ten  acres  and  seventy-one  hundreths — is  also  sold  to 
the  same  by  the  same.  James  Morrow  had  bought  lot  No.  13 
previously  to  1791  and  was  living  on  it  at  that  time,  as  his  resi- 
dence there  is  referred  to  in  the  deed  given  to  Thos.  Hill  for 
2,  3  and  4  at  that  date.  Diligent  search  has  failed  to  discover 
the  circumstances  of  the  sale  of  the  other  lots. 

We  find  from  releases  given  to  Elizabeth  Stewart,  Martin 
Connet,  Wm.  Corwin  and  Hannah  Anderson  by  Robt,  Ogden, 
that  the  trustees  had  borrowed  before  1790  a  sum  of  money  for 
some  purpose  (perhaps  to  remove  a  debt  incurred  in  building 
the  church)  from  the  Commissioners  of  the  Loan  Office  and 
had  given  a  mortgage  for  the  money,  and  this  mortgage  is 


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PROPKIETARY    TRANSFERS.  83 

bought  cat  public  vendue  by  Eobt.  Ogden.  The  upper  part  of 
the  village  south  of  the  Earl  House  is  included  in  the  greater 
or  Northerly  Brogden  tract  of  about  eleven  hundred  acres, 
taken  up  very  early  by  a  West  Jersey  survey,  though  situated 
in  East  Jersey.  This  large  tract  included  the  Brogden  meadows, 
taking  in  the  four  farms  along  the  meadow  road,  including 
Hamilton  Earl's.  This  tract,  or  a  large  part  of  it,  was  bought 
about  sixty  years  ago  in  partnership  by  John  Eutherford, 
James  Ludlum  and  L/avid  Ryerson. 

Joseph  Northrup  bought  of  John  Eutherford  in  July  30, 
1804,  three  hundred  acres  of  the  Brogden  tract  for  $1300  ;  he 
sells  two  hundred  and  sixty-live  acres  of  it  in  August,  1810,  to 
Dan  Hurd,  and  this  included  all  the  land  south  of  the  church 
lots  on  which  the  village  stands. 

The  lower  village  occupies  tlie  Welsh  House  tract  taken  up 
by  the  Sharps  in  1761,  when  160  acres  were  returned  to  them. 
Eeaching  north  a  mile,  and  including  the  lands  of  James  L. 
Decker,  F.  C.  Easton  and  Job  Cory,  was  another  tract  returned 
to  the  Sharps  in  1751  of  one  hundred  and  seventy  acres  and 
thirty  hundredths.  In  1794  John  Eutherford  took  up  seventy- 
nine  acres  and  forty-nine  hundredths  on  the  N.  W.,  W.  and 
S.  W.  of  the  church  lands,  including  land  now  owned  by  J.  B. 
Titman,  Charles  Durling  and  the  heirs  of  E.  P.  Washer.  On 
the  east  of  the  village  and  bordering  on  the  Welsh  House  tract 
was  the  Morrow  and  Ogden  tract,  surveyed  for  Azariah  Dun- 
ham and  John  Johnson  in  1788,  containing  1015  acres.  Dun- 
ham and  Johnson  also  took  up  some  smaller  tracts  east  of  the 
road  to  Ogdensburgh  in  a  sweep  survey  of  1500  acres,  which 
was  reduced  by  the  deductions  to  150  acres.  The  same  parties 
also  had  returned  to  them  in  the  same  year,  1788,  the  "  forge 
tract "  of  999  acres.  This  included  the  upper  forge,  already 
built  at  that  time,  and  the  land  lying  north  and  east  of  it.  This 
tract  was  afterward  owned  by  Peter  McKee,  of  New  York, 
Cole  and  Decker,  Ludlum  and  Northrup,  Ludlum  and  Hurd, 
Judge  Morris,  and  was  last  sold  by  J.  B.  Titman  to  the  Pop- 
penhausens.  The  depot  and  race  course  are  located  on  fifty- 
two  and  a  half  acres  taken  up  by  Jephtha  Byram  on  October 
26,  1765.  Walter  Eutherford  took  up  another  tract  near  by 
of  twenty-seven  acres  on  April  15,  1768.  The  Ogdens  owned 
originally  nearly  all  the  land  as  far  as  Hamburg. 

As  early  as  1730  the  Stirling  Hill  tract,  a  m'ile  long  by  half 
a  mile  wide,  was  returned  to  Anthony  Eutgers.  James  Alex- 
ander subsequently  came  into  possession  of  it,  and  from  him 
his  _  son,  William  Alexander  or  Lord  Stirling,  afterward  in- 
herited it. 


84  PROPRIETARY  TRANSFERS. 

The  land  on  wliicli  the  village  of  Ogdensbnrgh  stands  was 
all  owned  by  the  Lantermans,  who  purchased  it  of  Rob.  Ogden. 
The  most  interesting  land  transfer  is  that  of  Kob.  Ogden  to 
Kev.  Holloway  W.  Hunt,  the  lirst  minister  of  this  church. 
This  was  on  August  20,  1795.  The  consideration  was  £200 
proclamation  money  (about  $500),  for  36^  acres.  Elias  Ogden 
sold  to  Mr.  Hunt  on  May  23,  1797,  another  lot  of  63|-  acre's  for 
£83.  These  two  lots  of  land  are  included  in  the  farm  that  Job 
Cory  now  owns.  Mr.  Hunt  lived  on  this  farm  while  he 
preached  in  l^ewton  and  Hardyston  (Sparta)  for  seven  years 
until  1802.  Kev.  H.  W.  Hunt,  Jr.,  was  born  in  the  house  on 
this  property  in  1799.  Mr.  Hunt  gave  mortgages  for  this 
property  to  the  full  amount  of  the  purchase  money,  and  on  May 
8,  1802,  both  mortgages  were  cancelled.  This  proves  that  the 
Ogdens  did  (as  is  alleged)  promise  Mr.  Hunt  the  free  use  of  a 
farm  as  long  as  he  preached  here,  and  the  farm  in  fee  simple 
if  he  staid  seven  years.  In  the  trustees'  book  there  is  an  entry 
dated  April,  1802,  which  reads,  "  settled  with  Eev.  H.  W. 
Hunt  for  seven  years'  service. "  Moreover,  this  same  land 
whicli  was  sold  to  Mr.  Hunt  for  about  $66Q  was  sold  bv  him 
to  David  Easton  in  1803  for  $1250.  At  the  rate  of  $200  a 
year  for  preaching  half  the  time,  this  amount  with  the  use  of 
the  farm  would  pay  ]Mr.  Hunt's  salary. 


X.— SOME     OF    THE    EAELY  SETTLEES. 

Jeptha  Byram  took  up  land  in  1765,  where  tlie  depot  now 
stands.  He  probably  owned  a  mill  on  the  brook  and  gave  it 
his  name.  Robert  Ogden  owned  land  and  visited  here  before 
he  came  to  settle  in  this  vicinity  in  the  fall  of  1776.  In  1780, 
Job  Cory,  a  blacksmith,  settled  on  tlie  glen  road,  married  Jane 
Morrow  and  was  the  father  of  David  and  grandfather  of  Job. 
About  the  same  time  Thomas  Yan  Kirk,  a  blacksmith,  came  to 
Sparta  from  Europe.  He  was  the  father  of  Peter,  grandfather 
of  Mills  and  great-grandfather  of  Wirtie  (Worden)  Yan  Kirk, 
who  now  lives  in  the  old  homestead.  Thomas  Yan  Kirk  was  a 
large  land  owner,  member  of  Councit,  1816-1818 ;  appointed 
County  Judge,  1808  and  1813.  He  was  the  second  president 
of  our  board  of  trustees  and  very  prominent  also  in  the  early 
township  history.  Besides  Mills  Yan  Kirk,  the  other  children 
of  Peter  Yan  Kirk  are  Mrs.  John  Kelsey,  Mrs.  M.  L.  Basley, 
Mrs.  John  Case. 

In  1795  Henry  Decker  came  from  Deckertown  to  Hardyston. 
His  son  James  settled  at  Sparta,  built  a  grist  mill,  and  joined 
with  ISTelson  Hunt  and  Lewis  Sherman  in  introducing  here  the 
making  of  anchors.  He  died  in  1862,  and  was  the  father  of 
James  L.,  John,  and  Mrs.  J.  L.  Munson.  After  the  Revolution 
Jonathan  Sutton,  of  French  descent,  came  to  this  section.  He 
was  an  elder  of  this  church.  His  great-grandchildren  now  live 
at  Monroe  Corner,  and  the  Eev.  J.  F.  Sutton,  D.  D.,  of  New 
York,  is  one  of  his  descendants.  In  1785  William  Ross,  born 
in  Scotland  of  the  distinguished  Crawford  family,  bought  a 
farm  of  Judge  Morris  near  Sparta.  His  son  John  carried  on 
the  wagon-makers'  trade  in  this  town,  and  was  the  father  of  ex- 
sheriff  William  E.  Ross.  Before  1800  Israel  Munson  was  a 
farmer  on  the  ^^lace  now  occupied  by  his  son  Asa.  His  children 
are  Asa,  Samuel  (at  Paterson),  Susannah  (in  Illinois),  Sering 
(in  Michigan),  John  (in  Wantage),  Amos,  of  Deckertown,  and 
James  Ludlum  Munson,  of  this  vicinity,  who  has  just  (Janu- 
ary 4,  1887,)  celebrated  his  golden  wedding.  Israel,  Theodosia 
and  Nancy  have  died. 

Some  time  before  1800  Noadiah  Wade,  a  carpenter,  kept 
tavern  just  north  of  Ogdensburgh,  He  was  the  father  of 
Noadiah  and  Mrs.  Unis  Beardsley  and  grandfather  of  Morris 
Wade.     He  came  from  Massachusetts  before  the  Revolution, 


86  SOME    OF    THE    EAKLY    SETTLERS. 

married,  and  left  a  family  at  home  when  he  went  to  join  the 
Continental  armj.  At  this  time  he  was  thirty  years  old.  He 
first  lived  south  of  Sparta.  His  first  wife  was  Unis  Carv  and 
his  second  Anna  Braisted.  He  helped  bnild  the  clmreh,  and  sang 
in  the  choir.  He  died  about  1S30,  aged  eight j-f our.  The  above 
children  were  by  his  second  wife.  Those  of  his  first  were 
Samuel,  Mary,  Betsey  and  Martha.  Simon  Wade,  a  cousin  of 
Noadiah,  came  to  Hardyston  about  1780,  and  settled  on  the 
farm  where  his  son  Charles's  widow  now  lives.  Simon's  chil- 
dren were  Charles,  Samuel  T.,  Abby  J..  George  AV.  and  Lydia 
E.  TVade.  Early  in  the  century  John  Lanterman  bought  four 
hundred  acres  of  land  of  the  Ogdens,  including  the  present 
site  of  Ogdensburgh.  He  kept  store  opposite  his  dwelling  in 
an  old  brick  building  still  standing.  He  was  the  first  in  this 
section  to  burn  lime  and  brick.  Two  of  his  children  were 
Moses  and  Daniel.  Peter,  William,  Mrs.  Predmore  and  Mrs. 
Goble  are  children  of  Moses,  and  John  D.  is  the  son  of  Daniel 
Lanterman.  David  and  Garret  Kemble  came  from  Passaic 
County  in  1808.  In  1824  Garret  Kemble  pui'chased  the  home- 
stead where  his  descendants  now  live.  He  married  Michael 
EiOhrick's  daughter,  and  is  the  father  of  Robert,  lawyer 
Michael  and  English. 

Other  early  settlers  in  the  vicinity  of  Ogdensburgh  were 
Michael  Rohrick  and  his  son  Caspar :  Andrew  Johnson,  a  car- 
penter; Xoah  Talmage,  Ephraim  Kemble,  John  Crawford, 
Benjamin  Quick  and  William  Johnson.  Peter  Norman,  with 
his  brother  Oliver,  was  a  tenant  of  the  Ogdens,  and  the  father  of 
sixteen  children,  among  whom  were  three  sons,  William,  Peter 
and  James.  Morris  Lake  was  formerly  called  JS^orman'sPond, 
from  them.  Jacob  Timbrele  occupied  for  fourteen  years  the  John 
Decker  place.  His  descendants  are  numerous,  and  represented 
in  various  branches  of  business  and  in  the  gospel  ministry.  He 
was  the  father  of  Hezekiah,  who  was  the  father  of  Jacob, 
whose  sons  are  Hezekiah,  John,  W.  Corson,  Heman,  Lewis  and 
George.  James  Ludlum  was  a  large  wholesale  grocer  in  Kew 
York,  of  the  firm  of  Ludlum  &  Johnson,  when  he  was  called 
into  this  section  to  settle  up  the  estate  of  his  brother.  Gabriel 
Ludlum,  who  lived  near  Deckertown,  on  the  farm  now  occu- 
pied by  his  descendant  of  the  same  name.  Gabriel  Ludlum 
died  about  1801,  and  it  was  soon  after  that  James  came  to 
Sussex.  He  kept  house  with  his  niece  for  a  time  at  Sparta,  in 
the  building  which  he  erected  opposite  the  grist  mill.  He 
was  a  man  of  means,  and  afterward  lived  at  Lafayette,  where 
lie  died  on  the  place  now  owned  by  Dr.  Allen.  He  married 
late  in  life  Mrs.  Beekman,  at  Kinoston.     A  o^reat  deal  of  inter- 


SOME    OF    THE    EARLY    SETTLEKS.  87 

esting  historical  material  in  reference  to  Mr.  Ludlum  is  in  the 
possession  of  Miss  Martha  Lawrence,  the  accomplished  daughter 
of  Senator  Lawrence,  of  Hamlmrg. 

John  Boss  came  to  Hardyston  in  1809.  His  son,  Major  John, 
and  daughter,  Mrs.  Amos  Pierson,  are  still  living  at  an  advanced 
ao-e.  Major  Boss  was  born  in  1798.  He  enjoyed  but  slender 
opportunities  for  acquiring  an  education  ;  but  his  industry,  in- 
tegrity and  native  talents  soon  brought  him  prominently  before 
his  fellow-citizens.  He  was  chorister  in  the  church  for  many 
years  ;  he  has  often  been  foreman  of  the  grand  jury,  and  has 
always  been  most  highly  respected  by  all  classes  of  the  com- 
munity as  much  for  his  Christian  character  as  for  his  excellent 
business  qualities.  He  has  recently  been  given  a  tribute  of 
respect  so  spontaneous  and  practical  as  to  do  the  community  as 
much  credit  as  himself.  Aaron  Boss,  chosen  freeholder,  is  the 
son  of  Joseph  Boss,  the  brother  of  Major  John.  A.  M.  Bald- 
win and  Joseph  Cook  had  previously  decupled  the  John  Boss 
place. 

In  the  same  neighborhood  lived  John  Bradbury,  father  of 
Esquire  Benjamin  and  Kev.  Ziba  Nichols  Bradbury.  John 
Butler,  a  carpenter,  kept  the  Blue  Ball  Tavern,  on  the  hill,  just 
south  of  the  Heminover's.  George  Eobinson  and  James 
Bradbury  lived  in  the  same  vicinity.  William  Heminover, 
Ziba  Nichols  and  Bichard  McPeake  are  other  names  that 
appear  very  early.  Peter  Mains,  the  son  of  Peter  Mains,  who 
came  from  Germany  in  1800,  settled  at  Sparta  in  1815.  Thomas 
Beatty,  the  son  of  Thomas,who  moved  to  Ohio,  settled,  I8l5,  on 
the  farm  now  occupied  by  his  son.  Esquire  George  B.  Beatty. 
James  Ludlum  lif^.d  been  previously  living  on  the  same  jilace 
where  he  had  unsuccessf  uly  attempted  to  introduce  the  raising 
of  hemp.  John  Anderson,  John  Bedell  and  William  B.  Ayres 
were  neighbors  to  Mr.  Beatty.  Capt.  Isaac  Goble,  a  cooper, 
was  a  descendent  of  David  Goble,  called  "  King  David  "  by 
reason  of  his  large  ownership  of  land.  The  children  of  Isaac 
were  Matthias,  Mahlon,  Theodore,  Isaac,  Alanson,  William, 
Orlando,  Mrs.  Richard  McPeake,  Mrs.  Simeon  Struble.  The 
present  generation  are  quite  numerous,  and  are  engaged  for 
the  most  part  in  farming.  Amos  Duston,  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolution,  lived  in  the  Boss  neighborhood  as  early  as  1788. 
His  daughter  Abiah  married  Esquire  Beatty. 

In  1801:  Thomas  Bennington  moved  to  Sparta,  and  bought 
the  property  now  owned  by  the  heirs  of  Isaac  Goble.  In  1814 
he  went  to  Hamburg,  and  in  1819  to  Ohio.  His  son,  John, 
remained  at  Sparta,  where  he  was  a  wheelwright  for  forty 
years.     He  was  justice  of   the   peace    for   twenty-one   years. 


88  SOME    OF    THE    EAKLY    SETTLERS. 

He  is  the  grandfather  of  Chas.  Halsey,  Commissioner  of 
Deeds.  The  Rochelles  came  very  early  to  Ilardyston  from 
the  State  of  New  York.  They  are  of  Hngnenot  blood,  and 
came  originally  from 'France.  Elder  Ford  W.  Rochelle  is  of 
this  family.  Judge  K.  R.  Morris  was  born  in  Westchester 
County,  N.  Y.,  in  1793.  He  iirst  came  to  Sparta  about  1808 
to  live  with  his  uncle,  James  Ludlum.  He  also  lived  at  Ham- 
burg, Newton  and  Lafayette.  He  returned  to  Sparta  about 
1836,  Avhere  he  lived  until  his  death,  November  Y,  1874.  He 
was  of  the  well-known  Morris  family,  and  succeeded  Martin 
Ryerson  as  deputy  surveyor  under  the  proprietors  ;  was  a  large 
landowner,  and  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  Council  1837,  and  was  appointed  a  County  Judge  in 
1844.  The  present  postmaster,  James  L.  Morris,  is  his  son, 
and  Mrs.  Morford,  of  Newton,  is  a  daughter. 

George  B.  Case's  father  came  from  the  East  and  settled  near 
Sussex  Mills.  Geo.  E.  was  born  October  14,  1803,  and  has 
lived  fifty  years  in  his  present  residence.  He  married  Jane 
Ililf,  1828,  and  was  the  father  of  Richard  W.  Case,  who  has 
three  sons  and  two  daughters.  The  Pullis  family  in  the  same 
neighborhood  are  old  residents.  Mrs.  Pullis  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  church  for  fifty-two  years. 

Henry  C.  Kelsey  and  wife  came  to  Sparta  sixty  or  seventy 
years  ago,  and  bought  a  house  on  the  site  of  the  present  Earl 
House  of  Joseph  Corwin.  Their  children  were  John,  Mary, 
Aaron  H.,  Charles,  Martha,  Elizabeth,  William  and  Ellen. 
Aai-on  H.  married  John  I.  Blair's  sister,  Elizabeth,  and  was 
considered  one  of  the  most  enterprising  men  that  ever  lived  in 
Sparta.  John  was  the  father  of  Henry  C.  Kelsey,  the  present 
Secretary  of  State  of  New  Jersey.  Joseph  Ilurd,  a  brother  of 
Dan,  lived  at  Hurdtown  and  was  engaged  in  the  iron  business 
thei'e.  He  was  a  member  and  trustee  of  this  church.  Two 
other  brothers  were  settled,  the  one,  Jacob,  at  Woodport,  keep- 
ing tavern,  and  the  other,  David  at  Hurdtown.  James  Mor- 
row was  living  next  to  the  church  in  1791,  and  one  Morrow 
was  the  owner  of  considerable  property  before  the  washout 
occurred.  Maria  Morrow  sold  the  house  next  to  the  church 
where  James  Morrow  had  lived  to  Aaron  Kelsey,  1845.  The 
present  residence  of  Calvin  Dormida  is  on  the  site  of  a  house 
once  occupied  by  this  family. 

Joseph  Pierson  bought  the  farm,  Mdiich  Noah  Crane  once 
owned,  of  Richard  Slaght  in  1801.  Ezekiel  Pierson,  his 
brother,  already  lived  on  the  turnpike.  They  are  the  progeni- 
tors of  the  Piersons  who  still  live  in  the  vicinity.  Henry 
Osborne  lived,  as  early  as  1800,  if  not  before,  where  Isaac,  his 


SOME    OF    THE    EARLY    SETTLERS.  89 

son,  now  lives.  The  Rikers  were  among  tlie  earliest  settlers 
here.  The  Hills  and  McDavitts  came  to  this  country  together, 
and  settled  in  the  Pnllis  neighborhood  as  early  as  17Y0.  The 
Bonkers  were  living  here  eighty  or  a  hundred  years  ago.  The 
Beardslees  were  early  settlers  in  !North  Hardyston.  iSamuel, 
John  and  Morrison  Beardslee  are  among  the  first  names  that 
occur  in  the  township  records. 

History  of  Sparta  Village. 

Physicians. — Up  to  1821,  David  Hunt,  of  JSTewton,  pre- 
scribed for  the  sick  here.  He  was  followed  by  Chas.  Yail,  of 
Morristown,  for  a  short  period  (1821-1824),  and  then  by 
William  Yail,  a  brother  of  Charles.  He  stayed  but  a  brief 
period,  and  was  succeeded  by  Seymour  Halsey  (1829-1834). 

David  Melancthon  Sayre  came  from  .Morris  County,  in  1829. 
He  was  born  March  26,  1807,  at  Hanover.  He  studied  wliile 
practicing  here,  and  received  his  degree  from  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons  in  New  York  in  1836.  He  practiced 
liere  for  thirty-four  years,  with  the  exception  of  one  year  (1843- 
1844),  whicli  he  spent  at  Hanover.  He  went  to  Hanover 
again  in  1863  and  tried  farming ;  then  engaged  in  the  drug 
business  in  Newton,  1865  ;  resumed  his  practice,  1866,  and  died 
at  Newton,  1876.  He  gave  $5000  to  the  Newton  Library. 
John  R.  Stuart  took  Dr  Sayre's  place  for  one  year  (1843- 
1844),  and  then  went  to  Newton  and  practiced  medicine  there 
for  a  time  and  afterward  entered  the  drug  business.  Jonathan 
Havens  was  the  next  resident  physician.  He  remained  for  one 
year  (1863-1864).  Theophilus  H.  Andress,  the  next  and  pres- 
ent physician  of  this  place,  was  born  1841,  in  Stillwater  Town- 
ship, and  graduated  from  the  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons,  New  York,  1864.  His  specialty  is  surgery,  for  which 
he  has  a  reputation  throughout  this  and  adjoining  counties. 
"  Thoroughly  versed  in  the  studies  of  his  profession,  he  takes  a 
front  rank,  and  is  generally  called  in  consulation  in  serious 
cases."  Hugh  Allen  came  to  Sparta  in  1820,  but  remained 
only  a  few  months,  as  Dr.  Yail  paid  him  to  surrender  the  Held 
to  him.  Jonathan  Havens  was  located  at  Sparta  as  partner  of 
Dr.  Sayre  until  1850.  Dr.  J.  B.  Boss  settled  here  and  was 
building  uj)  a  practice  when  he  died.  Dr.  Mattison  practiced 
here  a  few  months  in  partnership  with  Dr.  Boss. 

Business  Places. — Pierson  Hurd's  store  was  built  and  oc- 
cupied by  him  many  years ;  then  followed  John  Gusten, 
Sidnev  Smith,  Chas.  Y.  Boss,  Harvey  B.  Strait,  J.  A.  Potter 
and  H.  B.  Strait   again.     The  latter  was  born  in   Jefferson 


90  SOME    OF    THE    EARLY    SETTLERS. 

Township.  Morris  County,  N.  J.,  May  3,  1831 ;  school  teacher 
for  six  months  ;  clerk  at  Roekaway,  three  years ;  home,  one 
year ;  came  to  Sparta,  April,  1857 ;  bought  out  Derry  & 
Morris,  and  kept  store  in  their  place  live  years  ;  rented  from 
Sidney  Smith  in  1862,  and  afterward  bought  his  house  and 
store.  Corson  Timbrell's  store  was  sold  to  Dan  Hurd  by 
Joseph  North rup  in  1804,  and  kept  by  Dan  Hurd  until  his 
death  in  1835  ;  then  by  Zenas  Hurd,  Jas.  B.  Titman,  Aaron 
Kelsey  and  Whitfield  Corson  Timbrell.  Mr.  Timbrell  was  born 
at  Petersburg,  Morris  County,  N.  J.,  1851  ;  carried  on  the 
milling  business  at  Morristown,  Stockholm  and  Unionville, 
N.  Y.  ;  began  business  at  Sparta  in  1883.  Collins  Sanford's 
store  was  opened  as  a  grocery  b}'^  himself.  It  is  also  the  office 
of  the  Sparta  /Signal.  Mr.  Sanford  was  born  in  Passaic 
County,  1839;  came  to  Sparta  as  blacksmith  in  1861;  was  in 
the  army  1862-3  ;  blacksmith  again  until  1869  ;  blacksmith 
and  grocer,  1869-T3  ;  has  kept  a  dry  goods  and  grocery  store 
since  18T6 ;  started  the  Sparta  Signal,  a  temperance  paper, 
1885  ;  the  first  copy  was  published  March  4 ;  at  first  a  four- 
page  monthly,  it  was  made  a  bi-weekly  of  eight  pages  in  1886. 
Mr.  S.  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  1877,  and  held  that 
office  live  years. 

Potter's  store  was  built  and  first  kept  by  John  and  Stewart 
McCarter,  of  Newton  ;  then  by  Dan  Hurd,  Ayres,  Dildine  & 
Davis,  Morris  Wade  and  J.  A.  Potter.  The  latter  formerly 
kept  a  second  store  at  Ogdensburgh.  He  now  has  succeeded 
in  building  up  a  large  trade  in  a  branch  store  at  Deckertown. 
He  was  born  in  Springdale,  N.  J.,  1840  ;  came  to  Sparta  in 
1867,  and  has  been  in  business  here  for  twenty  years.  The 
Old  Storehouse  which  once  stood  next  the  church  green  was 
occupied  by  Stephen  Hurd  and  afterward  by  Lewis  Sherman. 
When  part  of  the  church  green  was  sold  by  Sheriff  Darrah  in 
1819  to  Dan  Hurd  the  southern  boundai-y  line  of  the  lot  ran 
through  the  storehouse  (see  map).  Sherman's  Storehouse,  now 
the  residence  of  Samuel  Stanaback,  was  occupied  in  turn  by 
John  McCarter,  James  Morrow,  Lewis  Sherman,  Morris  Wade, 
Dan  Hurd,  Jr.,  J.  A.  Potter  and  Mr.  Washer.  The  Old  Ludlam 
Storehouse  M'askept  by  James  Ludlum,  James  Decker  and  Cullver 
&  Howell.  The  Morris  Store  was  built  and  lirst  kept  by  Cullver 
&  Howell,  Thomas  Lawrence,  Chapin,  Derry  &  Morris  and 
H.  B.  Strait.  It  is  now  kept  by  John  H.  Sutton  &  Co.  John 
Sutton  was  born  in  Sparta,  July  23,  1853  ;  went  to  Dover  at 
fifteen  ;  was  a  clerk  of  D.  A.  Derry  for  one  year  ;  an  engineer 
at  Ogden  Mine  for  two  years ;  clerk  with  C.  V.  Boss,  Sparta, 
three  years  ;  with  S.  S.  &  D.   A.   Lyon,  Dovci-,  three  years  ; 


SOME   OF    THE    EAELY    SETTLERS.  91 

with  C.  V.  Boss,  Stanhope,  three  years  ;  in  business  at  Sparta 
since  1881 ;  introduced  the  first  printing  press  into  the  village. 

Hotels. — The  residence  of  J.  M.  Shafer  was  formerly  a  hotel 
kept  by  W.  Earl.  The  Earl  House,  at  lirst  the  private  residence 
of  Henry  C.  Kelsey,  was  rebuilt  in  1832  and  opened  as  a  hotel 
by  John  Kelsey.  From  1815-61  it  was  again  a  private  resi- 
dence of  Aaron  H.  Kelsey.  William  Earl  then  became  the 
owner  and  kept  hotel  in  it  until  1882,  when  he  was  followed  by 
William  E.  lioss.  The  latter  was  born  in  Sparta  in  1845  ; 
graduated  at  a  business  college  in  1861 ;  was  deputy  sheriff  of 
Sussex  County,  1868-71  ;  justice  of  the  peace,  1871-3  ;  sheriff, 
1873-8  ;  Asseinblyman,  1881-4.  The  Hurd  House  was  kept 
by  Joseph  Northrup  until  1810,  then  owned  and  kept  by  Dan 
Hurd  until  1832,  then  by  W.  H.  Hurd,  1835-42,  as  a  temper- 
ance house.  It  is  now  occupied  by  him  as  a  private  residence. 
The  present  residence  of  Mr.  Earl  was  a  hotel  after  1845  for  a 
number  of  years.  It  was  kept  successively  by  Cox,  Van  Kirk, 
Montanye,  Reed,  Brooks  and  others.  John  Stewart  in  1798, 
and  after  him  his  widow,  "  Granny"  Stew^art,  kept  a  tavern  in 
an  old  house  next  to  Jacob  Shuman's.  The  hollowed-out  rock 
once  used  as  a  wash  basin  may  still  be  found  near  the  old  well. 
Mrs.  Stewart  was  followed  in  1832  by  William  Hoppaugh  and 
he  bj  Jonathan  McPeek.  The  building  was  torn  down  in  1876. 
The  Glen  House  was  built  and  opened,  1880,  by  Isaac  Goble. 
He  was  followed  by  his  son,  David  Woodruff  Goble.  David 
w^as  born  in  Sparta,  July  17,  1860.  He  began  business  here  in 
1885. 

The  Upper  Blacksmith  Shop  was  formerly  occupied  in  turn 
by  H.  R.  Smith,  Jacob  Timbrell  and  John  Rochelle.  It  is 
now  rented  by  John  W.  Groen,  who  has  recently  come  from 
Hunterdon  County.  The  Middle  Shop  was  built  and  run  by 
Ellas  L'Hommedieu  and  then  by  John  Rohrback.  It  is  now 
in  charge  of  Jacob  Timbrell  and  Silvester  McDavitt.  Jacob 
Timbrell  was  born  in  Sparta,  July  20,  1824 ;  drove  on  a  forge 
at  Stockholm,  about  ten  years,  and  at  Petersburg,  Morris 
County,  nine  years  ;  kept  a  hotel  at  Walnut  Grove,  three 
years  ;  did  blacksmithing  at  Lafayette,  1862-4 ;  was  in  the 
army,  1864-5 ;  has  been  a  blacksmith  in  Sparta  since  1866, 
Silvester  McDavitt  was  born  near  Sparta,  1842  ;  learned  his 
trade  at  Andover ;  worked  twelve  years  on  a  farm,  and  ever 
since  at  blacksmithing  in  the  village. 

The  Lower  Shop  was  formerly  occupied  by  McCormick, 
Anderson  and  McDavitt,  and  is  now  rented  by  James  Condon. 
The  latter  was  born  at  Double  Pond,  N.  Y.,'  June  22,  1856  ; 
learned  his  trade  with  James  English,   at  Newton  ;  a  pitsman 


92  SOME   OF    THE    EAKLY    SETTLERS. 

two  years  at  Ogden  Mine ;  in  business  at  Sparta  over  three 
years.  The  Stone  Shop  by  the  mill  was  built  by  Judge  Mor- 
ris, and  rented  by  "  Bill "  Allen,  English  and  Hill.  A  tan- 
nery was  formerly  carried  on  where  Chas.  Bonker  now  lives. 
A  fulling-mill,  a  potash  factory  and  sawmill  were  once  in  oper- 
ation on  the  brook  flowing  from  the  Glen, 

Tlie  residence  of  Hiram  Freeman  was  built  and  occupied  as 
a  wheelwright  shop  by  Zophar  Halsey.  Freeman's  shop,  owned 
by  the  Hurd's,  was  formerly  built  and  occupied  by  William 
Kindred.  Hiram  C.  Freeman  was  born  in  Danville,  E".  J., 
January  29,  1839 ;  he  came  to  Sparta,  1861,  and  worked  four 
years  with  Jacob  Shuman  ;  has  been  in  business  for  himself 
twenty-two  years,  and  for  nineteen  of  them  in  this  village. 
Collins  Sanford's  place  w^as  once  occupied  as  a  wheelwright 
shop  by  Jacob  Shuman,  and  afterward  by  Rutan. 

Shuman's  shop  was  built  by  himself  in  1875,  and  he  has 
occupied  it  for  twelve  years.  Jacob  Shuman,  wheelwright  and 
undertaker,  was  born  in  Stillwater  Township,  December  24, 
1824;  came  to  Sparta,  1844;  learned  his  trade  with  Zophar 
Halsey  ;  bought  out  James  H.  Beach  about  1853  ;  he  has  been 
town  clerk  for  fifteen  years.  John  Ross  l)uilt  and  once  occu- 
pied a  wheelwright  shop,  which  has  been  unoccupied  since  his 
death.  John  Lennington  carried  on  the  same  business  in  a 
shop  for  forty  years  which,  until  lately,  stood  behind  his  house. 
Jacob  Henry  Shuman,  house  and  carriage  painter,  was  born  in 
Sparta,  and  has  been  in  the  business  ten  years.  Samuel 
Stanal)ack,  house  painter,  was  born  in  Hardyston,  1859  ;  has 
lived  in  Sparta  since  1860,  and  has  been  a  painter  since  1881. 

Lewis  Chamberlain  Timbrell,  the  jeweler,  was  born  at  Peters- 
burg, !N",  J.;  commenced  business  in  Sparta  about  1880;  at 
first  for  one  year  in  William  EarFs  house,  then  one  year  in 
Collins  Sanford's.  He  then  built  and  has  since  occupied  his 
present  place  of  business.  The  confectionery  store  was  built 
and  occupied  by  Theodore  Durling  in  1884.  It  is  now  kept 
by  his  brother,  Henry  Durling,  who  was  born  at  Sparta  and 
commenced  buiness  in  1885.  A  millinery  store  has  been  kept 
by  Mrs.  Bertha  Hornbeck  for  several  years ;  at  first  in  Collins 
Sanford's,  then  afterward  in  the  present  place.  Mrs.  Horn- 
beck  is  from  Allentown,  Pa.,  having  been  born,  however,  in 
Hardyston  Township 

A  distillery  was  built  by  James  (?)  Morrow  about  1780,  and 
was  carried  on  afterward  by  Job  Cory,  Thomas  Lennington, 
James  Ludlum,  Isaac  Goble  and  David  Goble.  There  was  once 
a  distillery  on  the  John  Decker  place,  where  a  creamery  was 
afterward  carried  on  for  a  short  time.     James  L,  Decker  now 


SOME    OF    THE    EARLY    SETTLERS.  93 

carries  on  the  only  one  in  active  operation  in  the  place.  Mr. 
Decker  was  assessor  1851-4,  1859-66  and  18T0-6  ;  collector, 
1877-8  ;  chosen  freeholder,  1857-8  ;  elected  sheriff  in  1879.  Elias 
L'Hommedieu  formerly  kept  a  harness-maker's  shop  in  a  build- 
ing on  the  site  of  Jacob  Timbrell's  residence,  Geo.  B.  Fisher 
built  his  present  shop  and  commenced  harness  making  in 
Sparta  in  1870.  He  was  born  in  Hunterdon  County,  Septem- 
ber 3,  1839  ;  served  as  an  apprentice  from  sixteen  years  of  ao;e 
until  he  was  twenty-one  in  the  same  business  iii  Somerset 
County,  1860-70. 

Benjamin  Bradbury  began  shoemaking  in  1835.  At  one 
time  employed  four  or  five  hands.  He  was  born  near  Sparta, 
and  was  Justice  of  the  Peace  nearly  ten  years.  Jacob  You- 
mans  learned  his  trade  with  Mr.  Bradbury,  but  has  been  shoe- 
making  for  himself  since.  In  1854  James  Decker  and  his  son, 
James  L.,  built  the  grist  mill  that  the  latter  now  owns.  In 
1810  Dan  Hurd  bought  a  grist  mill  of  Joseph  Northrup  on 
the  Wallkill  back  of  the  fTurd  store.  It  was  burned  down 
about  1872.  Titman  e%  Folk's  mill  was  sold  July  15,  1804, 
by  James,  Eobert,  William  and  George  Morrow  to  Thomas 
Denny — a  merchant  of  JSTew  York— wTth  eight  acres  of  land 
for  $2375.  In  1808  Thomas  Denny  sold  it  to  Cole  &  Decker, 
and,  in  1809,  Cole  &  Decker  sold  it  to  James  Ludlum,  and 
from  him  it  came  by  inheritance  into  the  possession  of  Kichard 
R.  Morris,  who  rebuilt  it  in  1837.  From  Mr.  Morris  it  was 
bought  by  James  B.  Titman.  It  is  now  one  of  the  largest 
in  the  county,  and  is  run  by  Titman  &  Folk.  Mr.  Titman 
was  born  near  Bridgeville,  Warren  County,  N.  J.,  1820,  and 
came  to  Sparta  in  1844.  In  1845  he  exchaiiged  properties  with 
Aaron  H.  Kelsey,  and  went  to  Huntsville  to  keep  store.  He 
remained  there  until  1855,  and  then  came  back  to  Sparta.  He 
kept  store^  and  carried  on  forges  until  1867,  when  he  relinquished 
both.  His  advice  and  assistance  have  been  of  great  advantage 
to  the  writer  in  the  preparation  of  this  work."  Mr.  Titman's 
partner,  Henry  Folk,  came  to  this  country  from  Germany  in 
1854.  He  married  Eliza  Murray  in  1858  ;  was  engaged  in  the 
milling  business  at  N^ewton  and  Flatbrookville  ;  came  to  Sparta 
in  1865  ;  was  made  director  of  the  Merchants'  National  Bank 
at  l^ewton  in  1885.  A  man  of  untiring  energy  and  kindliness 
of  disposition,  as  the  writer  has  abundant  means  of  knowing. 
A  drug  store  was  built  in  1872,  enlarged  in  1881,  and  has  been 
kept  ever  since  by  Dr.  T.  H.  Andress  in  connection  with  his 
practice. 

The    butchers   of   the   place   are   at   present    Calvin    Price 
Dormida,  Naaman  Search  and  Robert  Lance.     Mr.  Dormida 


94  SOME    OF    THE    EAKLY    SETTLERS. 

was  born  in  Frankford  Township,  Sussex  County,  N.  J., 
November  2,  18Y3 ;  was  three  years  a  pattern-maker  at  Lafay- 
ette ;  one  year  a  millwriglit ;  nine  years  a  carpenter  at  Andover 
and  Newton  and  came  to  Sparta,  1875.  Naaman  Search  was 
born  in  Sparta,  IST.  J.,  April  3, 1837;  was  five  years  at  Franklin 
Furnace  with  Morford  and  Morris;  five  years  at  Hamburg; 
four  years  with  John  P.  Brown  at  New  Foundland,  and  has 
been  in  his  present  business  since  1873.  Robert  Lance  was 
born  in  Warren  County,  1842 ;  he  was  a  miller  at  Sparta,  two 
years  at  the  Hurd  mill ;  butcher  since  1872.  He  purchased 
his  present  dwelling  and  business  site  seven  years  ago. 
Thomas  Martin,  the  auctioneer,  was  born  at  Plainfield,  N.  JT., 
1838 ;  he  came  to  Sparta  in  1861 ;  was  a  mason  by  trade  until 
1865,  but  has  been  an  auctioneer  since. 

The  keeping  of  boarders  in  summer  has  become  a  regular 
business,  and  is  carried  on  by  the  following :  Moses  Delany, 
Mrs.  Greycen,  Mrs.  J.  B.  Boss,  Mrs.  Imogene  Lyon,  Miss 
Abby  J.  Lyon,  Geo.  B.  Fisher,  Jac.  H.  Shuman  and  Richard 
R.  Smith.  Mr.  Smith  was  born  in  Morris  County,  July  22, 
1821 ;  was  a  blacksmith  twenty-four  years  in  Sparta,  and  for 
twenty- four  years  has  kept  a  boarding-house  for  visitors  from 
the  city. 

The  agent  of  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  and  Western 
Railroad  Company  is  Samuel  Clarence  Kays.  Mr.  Kays  was 
born  at  Wurtsboro,  Sullivan  County,  N.  Y.,  March  14,  1858; 
he  first  moved  to  Beaver  Run,  then  to  Sparta  in  1875  ;  studied 
telegraphy  at  Oberlin,  Ohio,  for  one  year ;  in  Dr.  Andress's 
store  for  five  years  from  October,  1877,  as  drug  clerk  and 
operator ;  took  charge  of  Sparta  depot  as  telegraph  operator, 
freight  and  express  agent,  October,  1882.  A  telegraph  com- 
pany was  formed  in  Sparta  a  few  years  ago,  and  a  "  loop  "  was 
constructed  to  connect  with  the  Western  Union  at  Ogdens- 
burgh.  This  line  came  into  the  hands  of  the  aljove  company  a 
year  ago  by  the  terms  of  the  original  agreement.  The  office 
has  always  been  in  Dr.  Andress's  drug  store.  Esquire  Geo.  B. 
Beatty  is  the  Justice  of  the  Peace.  He  has  held  this  office  for 
thirty-one  years  continuously.  He  was  born  near  Sparta  in 
1811,  and  has  occupied  many  township  offices.  His  occupa- 
tion is  farming.  The  Commissioner  of  Deeds  is  Charles 
Halsey,  appointed  Aj)ril  1,  1886.  Mr.  Halsey  was  elected 
Town  Clerk  in  1879.  He  is  a  harness-maker  by  trade,  but  has 
confined  himself  to  farming,  though  at  times  in  general  demand 
as  an  accountant.  The  stage  driver  and  livery  man  is  John 
Crawford,  who  is  not  a  native  of  Sparta,  but  long  a  resident  of 
the  place  and  a  most  useful  and  widely  known  citizen. 


SOME    OF    THE    EARLY    SETTLERS.  95 

Two  Other  prominent  men  deserve  notice — viz.,  William 
Earl  and  Thomas  O'Maley.  William  Earl  was  born  in  Ireland, 
February,  22,  1815.  His  father's  farm  is  still  in  the  family. 
He  came  to  this  country  when  a  lad.  Spent  his  time  before 
coming  to  Sparta  at  Newark,  Jersey  City,  Cleveland,  Dover, 
and  Newton.  He  kept  a  tavern  in  Sparta,  first,  where  he  now 
lives,  then  in  Mr.  Shafer's  house,  and  afterward  in  the  Earl 
House  until  1882.  Thomas  O'Maley,  a  contractor,  tempo- 
rarily residing  in  New  York,  was  at  the  time  of  his  death  en- 
gaged in  a  very  large  contract  in  opening  new  streets.  He 
was  a  man  of  most  generous  impulses,  and  his  sudden  death 
very  recently  has  cast  a  gloom  over  the  whole  community. 
He  was  born  in  Cheshire,  Conn.,  February  29,  1844 ;  began 
contracting  in  1866  in  the  Ogden  Mine,  Ogdensburgh ;  he  was 
also  a  contractor  for  the  Eoberts  Iron  "Company  and  the 
Allentown  Eolling  Mill  Company.  He  died  Friday,  January 
2l,  1887. 

There  have  been  at  one  time  or  another  six  forges  at  work 
here.  They  made  wagon  tire  and  blacksmiths'  iroii,  "  blooms," 
or  "octagon"  iron.  The  blooms  were  carted  to  Rockaway, 
principally  to  Col.  Jos.  Jackson  s  rolling  mills.  But  about  1830 
James  Decker  and  Lewis  Sherman  bought  the  forge  near 
Decker's  mill,  which  had  been  built  by  Eobert  Sinai,  of  New 
York,  in  182Y,  and  which  had  been  leased  previously  by 
Stephen  Lyon  and  Joseph  Young,  and  in  1836  took  into  part- 
nership Nelson  Hunt,  of  Vermont,  who  introduced  the  making 
of  ancliors.  This  forge  was  in  operation  until  the  close  of  the 
Rebellion.  The  uppermost  forge  by  the  lake  was  in  existence 
as  early  as  1Y88,  even  before  the  land  on  which  it  stands  (the 
999-acre  tract)  was  taken  up.  Both  the  tract  and  the  forge 
were  owned  successively  by  Peter  McKee,  Cole  &  Decker  and 
by  Northrup  &  Ludlum.  In  1810  Northrup  sold  out  his  one- 
half  share  to  Dan  Hurd.  Isaac  Hurd  inherited  his  father's 
share,  and  Judge  Morris  inherited  Ludlum's  and  bought  out 
Isaac  Hurd.  The  tract  and  forge  finally  came  into  the  possess- 
ion of  Mr.  J.  B.  Titman,  who  afterward  sold  out  nearly  all 
the  tract  to  Poppenhausen  &  Company.  The  forge  and  dam 
next  below  disappeared  almost  altogether  long  ago,  and  the 
evidences  of  them  were  only  accidentally  discovered.  The 
washaway  forge— so  called  in  deeds  and  surveys — is  the  one 
whose  existence  and  situation  are  indicated  by  the  hole  in  the 
rock  over  which  the  path  up  the  Glen  passes.  It  is  supposed 
to  have  been  owned  by  Morrow,  and  was  washed  away  when 
the  dam  broke  at  the  time  Jabez  Kinney  was  drowned.  The 
third  forge,  at  the  entrance  to  the  Glen,  has  had  the  following 


96  SOME    OF    THE    EAKLY    8ETTLEES. 

owners:  Morrow,  Thomas  Lennington  (until  1814),  Ludliim 
&  Lyon,  K.  R.  Morris  and  J.  B.  Titman.  It  was  in  operation 
until  1867.  Stephen  Hurd  built  a  forge  on  the  Sherman  prop- 
erty in  1822.  There  were  also  forges  at  Hopewell  and  in  the 
Boss  neighborhood. 

The  carting  of  ore  and  iron  employed  many  people  at  one 
time.  These  materials,  together  with  anchors,  were  taken  to 
Lake  Hopatcong,  and  shipped  on  canal  boats  at  Wood  port  and 
at  ECenderson  Eocks,  and  sent  up  and  down  the  Morris  Canal. 
Almost  the  last  anchors  made  were  to  fill  a  large  Government 
contract  given  to  J.  B.  Titman  in  1864. 

The  first  returns  from  the  postmaster  at  Sparta  were  made 
January  1,  1798,  but  the  records  of  the  Post-Ofiice  Department 
having  been  burned  in  1837,  there  may  have  l)een  an  ofliee  here 
at  an  earlier  date.  Indeed,  we  learn  from  the  records  of  the 
Hamburg  post-oflice  that  on  "  March  30,  1797,  Joel  Smith,  post 
rider,  arrived  (from  the  North)  with  the  Sparta  and  Eockaway 
packet."  In  Steven's  Post-Office  Manual  of  1808  we  learn 
that  Joseph  ISTorthrup  was  at  that  time  postmaster  at  Sparta, 
and  that  it  cost  a  shilling  for  a  letter  from  Kew  York.  The 
postmasters  since  ]^orthrup  are  Ste]3hen  Hurd.  Jas.  Morrow, 
John  McCarter,  Elias  Beach,  W.  H.  Hurd,  Ben.  Bradbury, 
Keeves  Hudson,  J.  B.  Titman  (T.  H.  Andress),  Jas.  L.  Morris. 
James  Liidlum  Morris  was  born  at  Newton,  April  17,  1828. 
He  has  lived  at  various  intervals  at  Newton,  Hamburg  and  the 
City  of  New  York.  He  came  to  Sparta  in  1838,  belonged  to 
the  firm  of  Derry  &  Morris  for  a  time  and  was  made  postmaster 
in  1886. 

Sixty  years  ago  there  was  only  one  house  above  the  Hurd 
dwelling.  Houses  may  have  been  built  on  the  church  land 
before  it  was  taken  up  by  the  trustees  in  May  30,  1787.  At 
that  time  the  church  was  alread}^  erected,  as  the  minutes  of 
the  original  survey  say.  The  early  settlers  looked  first  for 
minerals  and  then  for  water-power.  This  accounts  for  the 
very  early  taking  up  of  the  Eutger's  tract  (1730),  and  the 
Welsh  House  tract  (1761).  The  Boss  neighborhood  and  the 
Glen,  the  brook  behind  the  upper  village,  and  the  one  running 
through  the  lower  part,  were  probably  inhabited  before  the 
Revolution.  Just  where  the  inhabitants  then  lived,  or  who 
they  were,  it  has  not  yet  been  discovered.  The  travel  from 
Morristown  and  the  east  to  the  west  and  northwest  would  all 
pass  through  Sparta.  The  turnpike  from  Morristown  to 
Sparta,  authorized  in  1804,  was  as  much  a  result  as  a  cause  of 
travel.  The  long  sheds  opposite  the  old  Hurd  tavern  were 
in  early  days  constantly  crowded  with  teams  on   their  way  to 


J 


SOME    OF    THE    EARLY    SE'lTLEES.  97 

New  York  with  produce  and  game  of  all  kinds.  Senator 
Thomas  Lawrence  speaks  of  Sparta  as  one  of  the  most  prom- 
ising villages  in  the  count}'  forty  years  ago.  He  was  living 
here  at  that  time,  and  carrying  on  business  at  the  large  mill 
and  the  lower  store.  He  was  married  while  here  by  Eev. 
William  Torrey,  for  whom  he  has  always  cherished  a  feeling 
of  deep  respect  and  confidence. 

Township   Records. 

To  get  at  the  names  of  the  early  settlers  we  have  carefully 
examined  the  lirst  town- committee  book  of  the  township  of 
Hardyston,  now  in  the  possession  of  Senator  Lawrence.  TJiese 
records  go  back  to  1T90,  but  only  come  down  to  1819.  Vernon 
was  set  off  from  Hardyston  in  1792,  and  township  matters  were 
in  the  charge  of  the  freeholders  until  1798,  when  the  iirst  town 
committee  was  formed.  The  collectors,  for  these  thirty  years 
(1790-1819)  were  Thos.  Yan  Kirk,  Jos.  Perry,  Simon  Wade, 
William  Braisted,  David  Fford,  John  Beardslee,  Job  Cory  and 
Sam.  Beardslee.  The  assessors  were  Andrew  Linn,  Jos.  Sharp, 
Elias  Ogden  and  Thomas  Leimington.  The  totvn  clerks  were 
Elias  Ogden,  Zebulon  Sutton  and  John  Lanterman. 

The  following  names  appear  very  early  and  very  often, 
either  as  freeholders,  town-committee  or  commissioners  of  ap- 
peal :  Robert  Ogden,  Elias  Ogden,  Thomas  Lawrence,  Thos. 
Van  Kirk,  Jos.  Sharp,  John  and  Sam.  Beardslee,  William 
Braisted  and  Simon  Wade. 

We  can  arrive  at  some  idea  of  the  scarcity  of  population 
when  we  lind  that  all  of  Hardyston  in  1793  was  assessed  only 
£114.  17s.  9d. ;  and  that  in  the  same  year  the  State  and  County 
tax  was  only  £110.  18s.  4d.  In  1798  the  amount  of  the  dupli- 
cate was  £104.  7d.,  and  the  State  and  County  tax  was  £85. 
12s.  lid.  In  1815  the  two  amounts  were  $394.24  and  $325.90. 
In  1807  there  were  only  291  names  on  the  duplicate,  for  which 
both  collector  and  assessor  were  paid  six  cents  a  name. 

In  1799,  Martin  Connett,  Capt.  Thos.  Hill  and  James  Jerol- 
emon,  all  dwelHng  in  this  village,  were  paid  $4.56  for  services 
m  burying  a  pauper.  It  seemed  to  take  19  cents  worth  of 
spirits  when  a  pauper  was  laid  out,  and  10  cents  worth  when 
he  was  buried,  if  we  may  judge  from  several  items  to  that 
effect.  We  seem  nevertheless  to  have  been  a  Sabbath  observ- 
ing community  at  that  time,  for  in  1812  only  two  men  were 
hned,  each  a  dollar,  for  "  breach  of  Sabbath."  But  the  num- 
ber of  tines  of  $14  each  for  breaking  the  Seventh  Command- 
ment were  far  too  many.  And  some  otherwise  respectable 
names  are  found  in  this  disgraceful  connection. 

(7) 


98  SOME    OF    THE    EAKLY    SETTLERS. 

Tlie  wildness  of  the  country  is  indicated  by  the  numerous 
wildcat  scalps  paid  for  at  $2  each,  and  as  late  as  1820,  $20  was 
paid  for  a  wolf  scalp.  This  reminds  ns  that,  in  the  memory  of 
not  a  few  now  living,  a  herd  of  deer  came  into  the  village  and 
in  open  day.  Esquire  JBeatty's  father  built  his  sheep-cote 
against  the  side  of  liis  house,  and  with  very  high  walls,  on  ac- 
count of  the  prevalence  of  wolves. 

It  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  note  the  prices  paid  eighty 
years  ago  for  certain  articles  of  conunon  use.  We  tind  in  the 
account  of  the  overseer  of  the  poor  for  1805  the  following 
charges :  16  lbs.  wheat  flour,  7  and  4  pence ;  3^  yds.  linen  at  3 
shillings  a  yd.  ;  3  lbs.  butter  at  1  and  6  pence  a  pound  ;  earthen 
mug  to  stew  tea  in,  10  pence ;  14  lbs.  of  Rye  meal  at  34 
shillings  per  cwt.  ;  2^  lbs.  pork  at  1  shilling  per  lb.  ;  1  lb. 
candles  at  2  shillings  ;  2  lbs.  sugar  at  1  and  6  pence  a  lb.  ;  1 
quart  of  spirits,  1  and  6  pence  ;  %;  gall,  molasses,  3  and  3  pence, 
5  ''skanes"  of  thread  at  2  pence  a  skein ;  1  qt,  of  brandy  at 
the  burying  of  town  "  porper,'^  50  cents;  digging  a  grave,  75 
cents  ;  coffin,  $2.50.  The  well-known  Col.  Aaron  Ogden  con- 
ducts a  suit  for  the  Town  Committee  in  1Y96.  We  are  told  that 
in  1V98  we  must  deduct  1-16  to  bring  "  proclamation  "  money 
into  "  York  "  money.  The  Town  Committee,  Commissioners  of 
Appeal  and  Town  Clerk  were  all  paid  $1  a  day  for  their 
services. 

Education. 

The  first  schoolhouse  in  the  village  was  an  old  log  building 
opposite  the  Sherman  property.  It  stood  on  land  formerly 
owned  by  the  church,  and  it  was  sold  in  1815  by  the  trustees 
to  William  Corwin  for  $53,  including  the  land.  The  land  had 
been  previously  sold  by  the  church  to  Thomas  Hill,  and  by 
him  transferred  to  the  trustees  of  the  school.  School  was  also 
kept  on  the  hill  in  the  upper  part  of  the  village  in  an  old 
building,  now  part  of  the  house  owned  by  Squii'e  Beatty.  In 
1812  a  Board  of  Trustees  was  incorporated  in  accordance  with 
an  act  of  the  Legislature  passed  ]S^ovember  27,  1794.  May, 
1815,  a  grant  of  land  was  made  by  the  Presbyterian  Church 
for  a  school,  on  the  condition  that  when  not  used  for  that  pur- 
pose it  should  revert  to  the  church  again.  A  building  was  ac- 
cordingly erected  on  the  present  school  site  in  1815  by  William 
Bohannon  for  $589.  It  was  two  stories  high,  30  x  20  feet  in 
size,  and  had  a  fireplace  in  each  stoi-y.  This  building  burned 
down,  and  another  was  erected  in  1860  by  Morris  Iloppaugh  for 
$1000.      This  is  26  x  35  feet,  two  stories  high,  and  still  in  use. 

The  trustees,  so  far  as  we  have  any  record  of  them  from  1812. 


SOME    OF    THE    EARLY    SETTLERS.  99 

to  the  present  time  (1886),  are  the  following:  1812,  Job  Cory, 
Jas.  Lndhmi,  Thorn.  Lennington,  Dan  Hurd,  William  Corwin  ; 
1816,  James  L.  Hnrd,  John  Bnrwell ;  1817,  Henry  Kelsey, 
David  Devor,  Stephen  Hurd  ;  1825,  George  Morrow,  John 
Butler,  David  Cory,  Henry  C.  Kelsey,  Lewis  Sherman ;  1827, 
Eev.  Noah  Crane, 'Nathaniel  M.  Hinds,  John  McCarter  ;  1829, 
McConnell,  Wiman ;  1833,  Edward  E.  Robison,  A¥illiam 
Decker,  John  Lennington,  Rev.  James  Wickofi";    183-1,  Henry 

C.  Beach,  Pierson  Hurd,  Elias  Beach;  1836,  Rev.  E.  F.  Day- 
ton, David  M.  Sayre  ;  1838,  Levi  Dew^itt ;  1839,  Rev.  William 
Torrey,  R.  R.  Morris ;  1841,  Joel  All)ers,  Nelson  Hunt, 
W.  Li.  Hurd,  J.  P.  Van  Cleef ;  1842,  Jas.  S.  Emrie ;  1843, 
Doctor  Stewart ;  1844,  Wm.  D.  Dewitt ;  1846,  Clarkson  Bird  ; 
1847,  John  Stites ;  1849,  Zophar  Halsey,  Job  Corv,  John 
Boss,  G.  B.  Beatty;  1850,  Moses  Woodruff ;  1851,  "Thomas 
Lawrence,  Aaron  H.  Kelsey ;  1852,  Benj.  Bradbury ;  1855, 
Henry  Hammel ;  1856,  William  Kinney,  Mori-is  Wade  ;  1859, 
James  L.  Decker;  1860,  Smith  M.  Fisher ;  1862,  David  H. 
Lantz  ;  1863,  Jac.  L.  Shuman  ;  1864,  Robr.  P.  Washer  ;  1866, 
S.  W.  Slockbower;  1867,  Mills  Van  Kirk;  1868,  John 
Puder;  1869,  Jacob  Timbrell ;  1870,  Henry  Folk:  1871, 
Harvey  B.  Strait;  1874,  Stephen  Rochelle ;  1880,  T.  H. 
Andress ;  1882,  F.  C.  Easton ;  1884,  Moses  Delaney  ;  1886 
Robert  Lantz. 

The  teachers  of  the  Academy,  so  far  as  can  be  discovered, 
were  the  following :  Wilcox,  Lent,  J.  W,  Hinchman,  1818  ; 
Eliz.  Morrow,  1834;  Elijah  Betts,  Lefevre,  Dayton,  Decker, 
1836;  Wm.  Piatt,  Jane  Cumminofs,  Isaiah  Condit,  E.  O.  Dem- 
arest,  Burnham,  1839  ;  Aaron  Woolf,1841  ;  Elias  Beach,  1842; 
William  Lyman,  1844  ;  Martha  A.  Jones,  1845  :  C.  H  Gilder- 
sleeve,  1846  ;  Miss  Hurd,  1847  ;  J.  J.  Morfitt,  1847;  Ziba  N. 
Bradbury,  1849;  Ribble,  1850;  Jos.  W.  Manning  and  wife, 
1854 ;  Miss  Boss,  1856 ;  Moses  Delaney,  1858-65,  1876-8, 
1880-1  ;  Lesbia  Sherman,  Delphine  Nortlirup,  Sarah  Cory, 
Abby  J.  Lyon,  Moses  Woodruff,  1865  ;  E.  Munson,  1866  ;  C. 
W.  Austin',  1867  ;  E.  Dunlap,  Miss  H.  M.  Hunt,  Eliz.  Chapin", 
1871 ;  Hiram  Friar,  Ella  K.  Fisher,  1873 ;  J.  O.  Austin,  1874; 
Delia  Delaney,  1876  ;  R.  M.   Harden,  Lnogene  Smith,   1879  ; 

D.  Dennis,  Jennie  Johnson,  1879 ;  Anna  Delaney,  1880 ;  B, 
D.  Potter,  1881 ;  Emma  Gray,  Ella  Shoemaker,  1881 ;  Heman 
Leach,  1884;  John  W  Thorne,  1885-7.  Mr.  Thorne  was  born 
at  Mt.  Hope,  Orange  County,  N.  Y.,  and  has  taught  one  year 
at  Beaver  Run,  one  year  at  Frankford  Plains  and  two  years  at 
Sparta._  Moses  Delaney  has  taught  ten  years  in  all  and  Miss 
Gray  six.     The  above  list  is  only  approximately  complete  or 


100  SOME    OF    THE    EARLY    SETTLERS. 

correct.  A  Young  Ladies'  Seminary  was  established  by  Mrs. 
S.  C.  Dayton,  tlie  widow  of  Rev.  E.  F.  Dayton,  in  1845.  A 
building  for  this  purpose  was  erected  by  Pierson  Hurd  at  a 
cost  of  $2500.  This  school  was  successfully  maintained  for 
twenty  years.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Beard  also  conducted  a  private 
English  and  classical  school  for  a  short  time  here  in  the  same 
building. 


XI.— LIST      OF     COMMUNICANTS. 

The  following  is  the  list  of  communicants  from  the  begin- 
ning (May  16,  1805)  of  the  records  to  January,  1887.  [w.  for 
wife,  c  for  certificate,  *  for  present  members,] 

I,  Christian  Clay  ;  2,  Mary  Clay,  w.  of  Christian;  3,  Jonathan  Sutton; 
4,  Eobert  Ogden  ;  5,  Jonathan  Sharp  ;  6,  Jane  Mills,  w.  of  Robert ;  7,  Mary 
Johnson,  w.  of  Andrew  ;  8,  Gabriel  Paine  ;  9,  John  Linn,  and  10,  Martha 
Linn,  w.  of  John.  These  are  supposed  to  have  been  the  original  members 
surviving  at  the  above  date. 

May,  1805,  Hannah  Ogden,  w.  of  Robert ;  September,  1806,  John  Butler  ; 
Polly  Butler,  w.  of  John  ;  Nancy  Pitney,  w.  of  Benj.;  September,  1807, 
Jemima  Davis,  w.  of  Wm.,  c;  April,  1808,  Nicholas  Byram  ;  Martha  Corwin, 
w.  of  Wm.,  Jr.;  Rhoda  Whitehead,  w.  of  Nathaniel  ;  Margaret  Joralomon, 
w.  of  J.,  c;  Nathan  Whitehead,  John  Johnson  ;  September,  i8o8,  Margaret 
Hurd,  w.  of  Jos.;  Mary  Morrow,  w.  of  Rob.;  Elizabeth  Morrow,  w.  of 
Thomas  ;  Sarah  Roberts  Hindes,  William  Corwin,  Jr.;  Rachel  Sutton,  w.  of 
Jon.;  Mehitable  Perrigo  ;  April,  i8og,  John  Burrell,  Cyius  Condict ;  Phoebe 
Condict,  w.  of  Cyrus  ;  Rebecca  Sutton,  John  Ryan  ;  September,  1809, 
Nicholas  Eherson,  c;  Mary  Eherson,  w.  of  Nicholas,  c. ;  Abigail  Talmage, 
w.  of  Nathan,  c;  Mary  Johnson,  w.  of  Sam.,  c. 

April,  1810,  James  Morrow,  Jane  Morrow,  w.  of  Jas.,  c  ;  Abigail, 
vcolored) ;  June,  1810.  Margaret  Simmons,  w.  of  Peter;  September,  1810, 
Hermans  Carter;  Jane  Carter,  w.  of  Hermans;  June,  1811,  John 
Yaw,  David  Arters,  Elizabeth  Arters,  w.  of  Dav.;  September,  181 1, 
Mary  Buckley,  w.  of  John,  Sr. ;  October,  181 1,  Susannah  Bird,  w. 
of  Dan.;  Susannah  Cooper,  w.  of  John;  Elizabeth  Farver,  w.  of 
Wm  ,  c;  September,  1812,  Mary  McCulLjm,  w.  of  Alex.;  William  Durling, 
Sarah  Ann  Durling,  w.  of  William  ;  May,  1813,  Samuel  Johnson,  Hannah 
Robinson;  October,  1815,  Elizabeth  Johnson,  Charity  Pierson,  Nancy  Hurd, 
Bethany  Osborn  ;  April,  18 16,  Elizabeth  Linn  ;  June,  181O,  Phoebe  Mat- 
thews, w.  of  John  ;  Rachel  Wade,  w.  of  Sam.;  Phoebe  Easton  ,  October 
i8in,  Mary  Durling,  Samuel  Wade. 

Received  at  the  North  Church,  August,  18 18,  Jane  McDaniels,  w.  of  Jos.: 
Anne  Hamond,  Abbey  Wade,  Norica  Munson,  w.  of  Jacob  ;  Mary  Elizabeth 
Ban,  w.  of  Matthew;  George  Buckley,  Sarah  Van  Duzer,  w.  of'Wm.,  c; 
Richard  Whitaker,  c. ;  Elizabeth  Whitaker,  w.  of  Rich.,  c;  September,  18 18, 
received  at  Sparta,  Rhoda  Bailey,  Wm.  Corwin,  c;  Martha  Corwin,  c; 
received  at  North  Church,  November,  1818,  Sarah  Harding,  Sarah  Linn, 
Peter  Simons,  Joseph  Perrigo,  Johnson  N.  Gould,  c;  Elizabeth  Gould,  w.  of 
Johnson,  c. 

January,  18 19,  Mary  McDaniels,  Nancy  Silsby,  Jane  Wood,  Sally  Barton, 
Margaret  Buckley,   Daniel  B.  Wilcoks,    Elizabeth   Beardslee,   Jane   Shirts, 

(8) 


102  LIST    OF    COMMUNICANTS. 

Isaac  Stin,  Seth  Byraro,  Cornelius  Demarest,  Sally  Demarest,  Jane  Demarest, 
Jane  Jones,  Julia  Kimble,  Margaret  Knox,  Catherine  Countryman,  Hannah 
Campbell;  March,  i8ig,  Abigail  Barton,  Milinda  Beardslee,  John  T.  Perry, 
Harriet  FairchiW,  Elizabeth  Demarest,  Elsee  Buckley,  Hannah  Carpenter, 
Thomas  Beardslee,  Daniel  Lanterman,  Phoebe  Munson,  Nancy  Gardiner, 
Mary  Adams,  Eliza  Fowler,  Rachel  Beardslee,  Martha  Reeve,  Sarah  Byram, 
Barbara  Lanterman,  Maria  Demarest,  Mary  Stin,  Peter  Demarest,  Peter 
Shirts,  Catharine  Nesbit,  Mary  Van  Wirt,  Jane  Perry,  c.  ;  Daniel  Edwards, 
c.  ;  Mary  Edsall,  w.  of  James  ;  Priscilla  Vibhart,  w.  of  Wm.  ;  Margaret 
Whitaker,  w   of  Peter. 

After  the  dismissing  of  62  members  to  form  the  churches  of  North  Hardys- 
ton  and  Hamburg,  May,  18 19,  there  remained  but  the  following  37  : 
Christian  Clay,  Mary  Clay,  Robert  Ogden,  Jane  Mills,  Mary  Johnson, 
John  Butler,  Polly  Butler,  Nancy  Pitney,  Martha  Corwin,  Margaret  Joralo- 
mon,  Margaret  Hurd,  Mary  Morrow,  Sarah  Roberts  Hindes,  William  Corwin, 
Rebecca  Sutton,  Mary  Johnson,  Sarah  Van  Duzer,  Rhoda  BaVy,  Phoebe 
Munson,  James  Morrow,  Jane  Morrow,  Mary  McCullom,  William  Durling, 
Sarah  A.  Durling,  Samuel  Johnson,  Hannah  Robinson,  Charity  Pierson, 
Nancy  Hurd,  Bethany  Osborn,  Phebe  Matthers,  Rachel  Wade,  Phoebe  Easton, 
Mary  Durling,  Samuel  Wade,  Mary  E.  Ban,  Daniel  Lanterman,  Barbara  Lan- 
terman. 

June,  i8ig,  Maria  Rorick ;  October,  1821,  Elizabeth  Pierson  ;  September, 
1822,  Drusilla  Roe,  w.  of  Benj.  ;  Jane  Hurd.  w.  of  Isaac  ;  June,  1823,  Mar- 
garet Cumming,  c;  Jacob  Shipman,  Elijah  Curtis,  Margaret  Curtis,  w.  of 
Elijah  ;  October,  1823,  Eliza  Shipman,  w.  of  Jacob  ;  Mary  Crawford,  w.  of 
James;  June,  1824,  Amelia  Beardslee,  w.  of  John,  c;  July,  1824,  Elias 
Beach. 

April,  1825. — John  Bonker,  Henry  Osborn,  Abraham  Wintermcot^ 
Martha  Cory,  William  Devor,  Catharine  Byram,*;  James  Crawford,  Mary 
Wintermoot,  Mary  Ackerman,  Esther  Pierson,  David  Cory,  John  Mathers, 
Stephen  Hurd,  Sarah  McGill ;    July,  1825,  Rebecca  Johnson. 

January,  1827,  Matthias  H.  Ogden,  Jerusha  Ogden,  William  A.  Ogden, 
Phoebe  Ogden,  James  Braisted,  Mary  Braisted,  Jane  Biaisted,  Wm.  M.  Tal- 
mage,  Elizabeth  Ann  Wesiner,  Catharine  Wilson,  Mary  Van  Kirk,  Job  B. 
Woodruff,  Chilian  Riker ;  April,  1827,  Jacob  Timbrt'l,  Anna  Decker,  William 
Decker,  Serin  Wade,  Elizabeth  Braisted,  Sarah  D.  W  oodruff,  Jane  Harparee. 

October,  1827,  Elizabeth  Coi-y  ;  February,  1828,  Sarah  Timbrel,  Elizabeth 
McClenon  ;  April,  1828,  a  new  list  was  made  containing  61  of  the  above 
names,  and  continuing  as  follows  :  November,  1828,  Elizabeth  Hay  ward, 
Ann  Campbell,  Jane  Denny;  April,  1829,  Margaret  Beach  w.  of  Elias,  c.  ; 
Hannah  Kelsey,  c. 

April,  1831,  Moses  Riker,  Hester  Riker,  w.  of  Moses  ;  Margaret  Hindes, 
Susan  S.  Pitney  ;  May,  1831,  Mary  Easton,  John  Boss,*;  Elizabeth  Boss,  H. 
C.  Beach,  Eliza  A.  Beach,  Joseph  Corwin,  Isaac  C.  Beach,  Phoebe  Reed, 
Hannah  Degrow,  Isaac  Gary,  Jane  Ayres,  Martha  Osborn,  Mary  A.  Pimey, 
John  Lennington,  Anna  Lennington,  Elizabeth  Lennington,  Hyle  Ler  ning- 
ton,    Rachel  Lennington,    Maria    Morrow,    Electa    Morrow,    Sarah    Gary, 


LIST   OF    COMMUNICANTS. 


103 


Elizabeth  Hurd,  Ann  Eliza  Losey,  Thomas  B.  Beardslee,  Sarah  Beardslee, 
James  S.  Morrow,  Mary  Kinney,  Phoebe  Cook,  Amelia  Siney,  Sarah  Ham- 
mell. 

January,  1832,  William  Ayers,  Acelia  Avers,  Nelly  Decker,  Phebe  T. 
Morrow,  Julia  Ann  Cummings,  Mrs.  Pulis  ;  Apiil,  1832,  Sarah  Beatty,  Ann 
Chamberlain,  Elizabeth  Van  Kirk,  Elizabeth  Slockbower,  Jane  Cummings, 
Amy  Stites,  Mary  Ayers,  Arthur  McGill,  Joseph  Pierson,  Jr.;  Moses  Lanter- 
man,  Henry  Beardslee,  Nancy  Beardslee,  John  Hammell,  Mary  Hurd,  Wm. 
D.  Pulis,  Rachel  Hayward,  Shipman  Cox,  Eohert  Braisted,  William  Braisted, 
Jane  A.  Hinkle,  Emily  Van  Kirk,  Delia  Smith,  Thomas  Dustan,  William  M. 
Cory,  Sarah  Woodruff,  c.  ;  Hannah  Campbell,  c.  ;  Mary  Wright,  Elizabeth 
Morrow,  Mrs.  Mary  Duston,  Jane  Duston,  Miss  Mary  Duston,  Andrew  Chid- 
ester,  Mary  Chidester,  Peter  Van  Kirk,  William  B.  Ayers,  Elizabeth  Mary 
Cox,  Elizabeth  Van  Kirk,  Abby  Jane  Wade,  Rebecca  Df-cker. 

December,  1832,  Mrs.  Margaret  McDevit,  Sarah  Kinney,  Martha  Ann  Kelsey, 
Martha  Ackerman,  Abraham  Ackerman,  Hannah  Cornelia  Hurd,  Eliza  McKin- 
ney,  Thomas  Ackerson,  Magdalen  Gray,  Matilda  Smith,  Elizabeth  Whitford, 
Olive  Mains,  Catherine  Conkling,  Jane  Beatty,  Elizabeth  Devore,  Harriet  Cum- 
mings, Barbara  Pulhamus,  Hester  Young,  Robert  Beatty,  James  Van  Kirk, 
John  Stites,  Hannah  Hammel,  Elizabeth  Harparee,  Jane  Chamberlain,  Eliza- 
beth Stites,  Samuel  Cory,  Hannah  Knox,  Nancy  Demarest,  Samuel  Stites, 
Morrison  Beardslee,  Abiah  Dustan,  Mary  Sweany,  Ada  Stites,  Elizabeth 
Siney,  Sarah  Fountain,  Peter  Stites,  Jacob  Stites,  Margaret  Stites,  Noah 
Chamberlain,  Sarah  Kinney,  Anna  Pierson,  Joseph  Stites,  Mary  Clark. 

October,  1833,  Elizabeth  Lanterman,  Barbara  Ann  Lanterman,  Margaret 
Kinney,  Catharine  Goble,  Phebe  Chamberlain,  Susan  Sargeant,  Rebecca 
Braisted,  Mrs  Maines  ;  September,  1835,  Elisha  Mulford,  Catharine 
Mulford,  w.  of  Elisha ;  July,  1836,  Ruhama  Wade,  w.  of  Sering, 
c;  December,  1836,  Joseph  Wright,  Catherine  Russell,  w.  of  John,  c; 
Chas.  Ackerson,  Mrs.  Ackerson,  w.  of  Chas.;  June,  1837,  Mary  Sher- 
man, w.  of  Azar,  Sarah  E.  Dayton,  w.  of  Ezra  F.;  June,  1838,  Mrs.  Mary 
Williams,  c,  Zophar  Halsey,  c;  February,  1839,  Job  Cory,*  ;  Charles  Cory, 
Richard  C.  Roe,  Noadiah  Wade,  Phebe  Lanterman,  Joanna  Lanterman,*  ; 
June,  1839,  Joli'i  Beatty,  Mary  Morrow,  Eliz.  Wintermute,  Mary  Knox  ; 
November,  1839,  Martha  Wade,  w.  of  Noadiah,  c;  Rebecca  Cory,  w.  of 
Samuel,  Hester  Morrow  ;  December,  1839,  William  D.  Pulis,  Julia  A. 
Braisted,  c. ;  Elizabeth  Whitaker,  c. ;  Margaret  Pulis. 

February,  1840,  Mrs.  Jane  Ross,  Mrs.  John  Beadle,  Morris  Wade,  Henry 
Crane,  Charles  Centerbox,  Mrs.  Mary  Peters,  c;  John  P.  Conger,  c;  Cathe- 
rine Conger,  c.  ;  June,  1840,  Simon  Bemer,  c. ;  Mary  Bemer,  c;  Eliza  Conger, 
c.  ;  September,  1840  Sarah  A.  Fisher,  c;  Mrs.  Ann  Emrie,  c.  ;  December, 
1841,  Elizabeth  Kelsey,  Emeline  Hurd,  Drusilla  Van  Kirk  ;  March,  1842, 
Julia  Kelly,  w.  of  Andrew,  c;  Sarah  Roe,  w.  of  Benj  ,  c.  ;  June,  1842, 
Catherine  Bradbury,  w.  of  Benj.,  c.  ;  August,  1842,  Hannah  Byram  ; 
November,  1842,  Abner  Burnham,  c,  Elizabeth  Burnham,  w.  of  Abner,  c, 
Elizabeth  Hoppaugh,*  c;   Phebe  Kimball,*  w.  of  Moses,  c. 

February,  1843,  Sarah  Halsey,  c;  Susan  A.  Farber,  c;  Gilbert  Eedfield,  c; 


104  LIST    OF    COMMUNICANTS. 

John  Conckling,  c;  April,  1843,  Catherine  Lanterman,  c;  Walter 
Howell,  c. ;  Sally  C.  Howell,  c. ;  Harriet  Howell,  c;  Barbara  Ann  Munson, 
Sarah  C.  Crane,  Benj.  Bradbury,*  ;  Bethania  Chidester,  Naomie  Willianason, 
Eliza  E.  Dildine, Charles  Boss,  Phebe  Ann  Boss,  Eraeline  Beach,  Amelia  B.  Davis, 
Amzi  Bedell,  Elizabeth  Sickle,  Mary  Rose,  Wm.  N.  Siney,  John  Stites,  2d., 
Mabala  Ayres,  Mary  Ann  Brooks;  June,  1843,  Abby  Jane  Smith,  Jane  Hop- 
paugh,  John  M.  Grecian,  Susan  Grecian,  w.  of  John  ;  Henry  W.  Ogden  ; 
September,  1843,  Jane  Easton,  c;  April,  1844,  Emily  B.Torrey,  c;  Maria  W. 
Easton,  Martha  Ann  Beach  ;  July,  1844,  Henry  Beach,  Rhoda  Beach, 
Caroline  Byram  ;  January,  1845,  Jos.  H.  Beach,  c;  Elvira  C.  Beach,  w.  of 
Jos.  H.,  c;  June,  1S45,  Catherine  Manes,  w.  of  Jas.*;  December,  1846,  Sarah 
J.  Halsey,  w.  of  Zophar,  c*  ;  Jane  S.  Wade,  w.  of  Morris,  c;  March,  1847, 
James  Roe,  Elizabeth  Roe,  w.  of  James,  c;  Amzi  Beach.  Sarah  Beach,  w.  of 
Amzi ;  George  Allen,  Henrietta  Halsey  ;  June,  1848,  Ellen  C.  Kelsey,  Letitia  W. 
Roe;  June,  1849,  Abigail  Decker,  c  ;  Horace  Decker,  c;  Margaret  Decker,  c. 

August,  1851,  Barbara  Ann  Grecian,  w.  of  John  M.,  c;  Theodosia  Goble, 
w  of  John,  c. ;  Mary  Ann  Osborn,  w.  of  Henry  ;  January,  1852,  Joseph  W. 
Manning,  c;  Mary  Manning,  w.  of  Joseph,  c. ;  Edarar  Manning,  Abby  Jane 
Manning;  February,  1853,  Mrs.  Eleanor  Smith,  c;  Elizabeth  Kelsey,  w.  of 
Aaron  H.;  Daniel  D.  Chapin ;  May,  1853,  Harriet  A.  Higbie,  w.  of  Daniel, 
c;  Charity  Chapin,  w.  of  Dan.  D.;  January,  1854,  Mary  Cory,  Susan  Eliza- 
beth McCoy;  April,  1854,  Lavina  Mileham,  w.  of  William,  c;  January, 
1855,  Mrs.  Anne  Buckley,  c;  Wm.  Buckley.;  Francis  Whiteford,  c. ;  Mar- 
garet Whiteford,  w.  of  Francis,  c;  March,  1855,  Henry  C.  Byram;  Octo- 
ber, 1856,  Mary  E.  Willard,  w.  of  Rev.  L.,  c;  Maria  Smith,  c;  January, 
1857,  Amzi  Bedell,  c;  Hannah  Bedell,  w.  of  Amzi,  c;  April,  1857,  Charles 
J.  Beattie,  Sarah  Hurd,*  w.  of  Whitefield  ;  Ellen  Ross,*w.  of  John  ;  Mary  A 
Kelsey,  w.  of  Chas.,  c;  July,  1857,  Rachel  Goble,*  w.  of  Isaac,  c;  Sarah  C. 
Brooks,*  w.  of  Daniel. 

January,  i8;8,  Clarissa  Strait,  w.  of  Harvey,  c:  Lesbia  Sherman,*  ;  EHza- 
beth  Boss,  Ophelia  Halsey,  Saring  Halsey,  Adaline  Hurd  ;  April,  1858, 
David  S.  Tahnadge,  Hen.  More,*  ;  Morris  Hoppauyh,  Sidney  Smith,  Harvey 
B.  Strait,  Benjamin  Roe,  Sarah  A.  Pinckney,  Charles  Chapin,  Calvin  Beatty, 
John  D.Vreeland,  Harrison  H.  Wright,  Mary  ArabellaRoe,  SarahEllen  Maines, 
Mary  E.  More,*  ;  Stewart  Mains,  Sarah  Kinney,*;  J.  D.  Vreeland,  Henrietta 
Stites,  Melissa  Pierson,  Sar.  Cory,  Cornelia  Cory,  Ira  Ellett,  Hvlinda  Mains,*;  E. 
Dayton  Boss,  W.  Sanford  Dunlap,  Emma  E.  Lanterman,  Amelia  Ann  Ogden, 
Sarah  M.  Lanterman,  Phebe  P.  Lanterman,*;  Mary  McKinney,  Em.  Casmore, 
Ruth  Hoppaugh,*  ;  Martha  Cooper,  Sarah  A.Norman.*;  G  B.  Craig,  J. Byram 
Hoppaugh,*;  Sam.  Chambers,  Peter  Lanterman,  Fanny  Atkin,  Irene  E. 
Chidester,  Isaac  G.  Cary,  Sarah  M.  Cary,  Martha  J.  Siney,*;  Abby  J.  Lyon, 
Mary  E.  Hurd,  Aaron  Drake,  Jas.  J.  Slockbovver,  Mary  E.  Duffy,*;  Jan© 
Hunt,  Eliza  Hoppaugh,*;  Corintha  Ogden,  Charlotte  Cory,  Sarah  C.  Munson, 
Susan  Dean,  Christopher  Beatty,  J.  Bedell  Boss,  Phebe  J.  Rochelle,  Nicholas 
Byram,  Henry  Breed,  John  Cary,  Sarah  E.  Van  Auken  ;  July,  1S58,  Eph- 
raim  K.  Sanford,  Matthew  Sanford,  c.  ;  Sarah  A.  Ellett,  w.  of  Samuel ; 
Elizabeth  George,   w.  of  John,  c* ;  Harriet  Wade,  M.  Jane  Smith  ;    April, 


LIST   OF    COMMUNICANTS.  105 

1858,  Delilah  Chamberlain,  Elizabeth  Slockbowor,  w.  of  James  ;  Margaret 
Howell,  Bethania  Wintermute  ;  July,  1858,  Sarah  More,  w.  of  Hen.*  ;  Phebe 
Strader,  Selina  Strader,  Caroline  M.  Cary,  Sarah  E.  Howell. 

January,  i860,  Mary  A.  Wintermute  ;  April,  i860,  Elizabeth  Woodruff ; 
July,  i860,  Elizabeth  Craig,  w.  of  Geo.  B.  ;  January,  1861,  Hannah  Moore, 
w.  of  Eev.  W.  L.,  c.  ;  April,  1861,  Phebe  J.  Bonker,  w.  of  Seymour,  c* ; 
Hiram  C.  Freeman,  c* ;  April,  1862,  Ellen  Decker,*  w.  of  J.  L. ;  Eliza  Decker, 
w.  of  John,*  ;  Mrs.  Norman,  Jos.  V.  Smith,  c. ;  July,  1862,  Charlotte  E. 
Smith,  w.  of  Joseph,  c. ;  Mrs.  Cornelia  Crane,  c. ;  Joshua  Walton  ;  July, 
1864,  Caroline  Durling,  w.  of  Chas.  ;  January,  1865,  Francis  A.  Bacheler, 
w.  of  Eev.  F.  E.  M.,  c;  Ella  Cory,  Susan  A.  Robbins,  Mary  J.  Rochelle,  w. 
of  W.  Woodruff;  Dency  Slockbower,  Annie  M.  Longcor ;  April,  1865,  Hul- 
dah  A.  Kinney,  w.  of  Mr.  Roe  ;  Harriet  H.  Grecian,  Thomas  B.  Gould, 
William  Riddell,*;  Phebe  E.  Ogden,  Hannah  G.  Longcor,  Samuel  D.  Mitchell, 
John  George,*;  Harriet  D.  Roe,  Moses  Thorp  ;  July,  1865,  Francis C.  Easton. 

January,  1866,  Marcus  L.  Beardslee,  c;  Drusilla  Beardslee,  c;  Eliza 
Taylor,*;  April,  1866,  Sarah  Van  Kirk,  Delilah  Washer,*;  Abby  J.  Mains, 
w.  of  W.  H.,  c.  ;  October,  1866,  Geo.  H.  Bradbury,  Mary  Mills,*;  w.  of 
Rob.  M.;  Fanny  Boss,  w.  of  C.  V.,  c.  ;  April,  1867,  Emma  V.  V.  Boss,  c.*; 
Hiram  M.  Sands,  Abbie  A.  Bradbury  ;  January,  1868,  Emma  Bradbury,  * 
w.  Sar.  Munson  c*  ;  Rebecca  Sands,  Mary  Earl,*  w.  of  William  ;  Wm. 
Rogers,  Henry  Dunlap ;  April,  1868;  Peter  Stites,  M.  J.  Stites,  w.  of 
Peter ;  Abbie  Beardsley,  Cordelia  E.  Shuman,  Mary  Green  ;  July,  1868, 
Mary  Braisted,  c.  ;  Sarah  C.  Braisted,  c*  ;  Elizabeth  De  Groot,  c.  ;  July, 
1869,  Abby  J.  Lyon,*  c.  ;  November,  1869,  Phebe  J.  Stanaback,*. 

July,  1870,  Elizabeth  Ogden,  c  ;  Oct.,  1870,  Frank  M.  Cory,*  ;  Wm.  L.  Cory, 
Elizabeth  Chapiu,*;  Anna  M.  Wood,  Mrs.  Phebe  A.  Wood,  c;  January,  1871, 
Lucinda  B.  Bradbury,*  w.  of  Benj.;  April,  1871,  Sibyl  Haskell,  Lucy  Chiches- 
ter, Susan  Easton,  c;  Jane  Easton,  c.*;  Martha  Easton,  c;  Mary  Easton,  c; 
January,  1872,  Sarah  J.  McKee,  w.  of  Rev.  W.  B.,  c;  Catherine  0. 
Christy,*  w.  of  Rob.  Lance;  June,  1872,  Ophelia  Teats*;  July,  1872, 
Ophelia  Beardsley,  George  Whitford,  Henry  S.  Welsh,  c;  Emily  Welsh, 
w.  of  Henry  S.,  c. ;  January,  1873,  Levi  Congleton,  c;  Charlotte  Congle- 
ton,*  w.  of  Levi,  c;  Phebe  Congleton,*  c. ;  Jane  Congleton,*  c;  July, 
1873,  Almira  Case,*  c;  April,  1874,  Eliza  Van  Kirk,*  w.  of  John  ;  Sam- 
uel B,  Hayward,  Mary  E.  Hayward,  w.  of  Samuel  ;  Mary  J.  Hayward,  Ada 
F.  Durling,  Phebe  Lennington,  Josie  K.  Beardslee,  Eugene  R.  Cory,*  ;  Mor- 
ford  B.  Strait,  Stephen  A.  Strait,  Christina  L.  Strait,  Angelina  S.  Hotallen, 
w.  of  Henry,* ;  April,  1874,  Julia  A.  Adams,  c. 

October,  1876,  Martha  J.  Johnson  ;  July,  1877,  Ford  W.  Rochelle,*  ;  July, 
1878,  Mills  Van  Kirk,  c;  Sarah  Van  Kirk,  w.  of  Mills,*  c;  Mary  B.  Tyack, 
w.  of  Rev.  Thos.,  c;  Lewis  Maines,  Lucinda  Sutton,*  w.  of  Judson,  Sarah 
M.  Beatty,* ;  January,  1879,  Imogene  Lyon,*  c;  July,  1879,  Sarah 
Ellen  Peters,  w.  of  J.  F.,  c*  ;  October,  1879,  John  M.  Minion,  c,  ;  Elizabeth 
A.  Minion,*  w.  of  John,  c;  David  Dennis;  December,  1879,  Frank  House,  *, 
Hannah  Coursen,*c.;  Mary  A.  Praedmore,  w.  of  Johnson,*  ;  October  1881, 
Joseph  H.  Van  Marter,  c. 


106  LIST    OF    COMMUNICANTS. 

October,  1882,  Benjamin  D.  Potter,  c;  Mame  F.  Potter,  w.  of  Benj.,  c; 
Theo.  L.  Pullis,*;  Mary  Pullis,  *;  Jennio  E.  Mills,*;  Lizzie  A.  Dunlap,*; 
Laura  C.  Wilson,* ;  Jennie  Case,* ;  Levi  E.  Case,* ;  John  H.  Mills,*  ; 
James  W.  Mills,*;  Annie  H.  Morris,*;  Sarah  Williams,*  c;  Theodore  G. 
Anderson,*  ;  Sarah  E.  Anderson,*  w.  of  Theodore  ;  David  L.  Byram,* ; 
Mattie  V.  Byram,*  w.  of  David  L.;  Delilah  S.  Mills,*;  Hattie  E.  Ball,*: 
Euth  Hoppaugh,*  ;  E.  Louisa  Holden,*  ;  Ida  May  Lanterman,*;  Daniel 
Wagner  Boss.  Abbie  J.  Lyon,*c.;  John  Boss,  Minerva  Cory,*  c;  Jennie  T. 
Stanaback,*  c;  Nora  Boss,  c;  William  Barkman,*  c.  ;  Mary  G.  Kays,* ; 
Benjamin  K.  Jones  ;  October,  1884,  Thomas  Kane,  c*  ;  Jennie  D.  Kane,  w. 
of  Thomas,*;  Mary  Arno  Chambers,*  w.  of  Eev.  T.  F.,c.;  Jennet  M.  Sut- 
ton,* c;  Mary  Sutton,*  c;  January,  1885,  John  Chandler,*  c.  ;  Lucy 
Chandler,*  w.  of  John,  c. ;  February,  1886,  Nils  Gunderson,*  ;  Annie  Gun- 
derson,  w.  of  Nils,*;  Orvetta  Eva  Holden,*;  May,  1886,  Julia  A.  Stid- 
worthy,*  wife  of  Jas.  ;  Emma  Grose,*  w.  of  Edward  ;  Ann  Chambers,*  ; 
November,  1886,  Elizabeth  P.  Beardslee,*  ;  January,  1887,  Mrs.  Bertha  J. 
Hornbeek,*c.  ;  Jane  Carr  Rochelle,*;  Mary  Lane  Durling,*  w.  of  Robert 
S.;  Belle  Neva  Woodrufif.* 


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